Ireland, Norway, Spain announce recognition of state of Palestine

On May 22, three EU states—Ireland, Spain, and Norway—announced their recognition of the State of Palestine. Coordinated with EU leadership, this joint decision will take effect in a few days.

Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris stated, "Three decades after the start of the Norwegian process, we are even further from a just and comprehensive peace. Recognizing Palestine is the right decision and cannot wait forever."

He added, "The Palestinians in Gaza are in a dire situation. A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding before our eyes," noting that 143 states supported Palestinian independence at the UN General Assembly.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez cited peace, justice, and consistency as motives for recognizing Palestine. He called on Israel and the Palestinians to negotiate and end the conflict, emphasizing that their decision supports peace and coexistence, not Hamas.

Earlier this morning, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced Norway's recognition of Palestine, stressing the need to support moderate forces and affirm the two-state principle.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz condemned the recognition, viewing it as an attempt to undermine Israeli sovereignty and security. "In this way, Ireland and Norway proclaim that terror pays off," he said.

Katz added, "After the October 7 massacre, the largest mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust, and the horrific crimes by terrorists, these countries have decided to reward Hamas and Iran by recognizing the Palestinian state."

Hamas welcomed the decision, stating, "We see this as a very important step toward recognizing our rights to our territory."

Sweden recognized the Palestinian state in 2014, and Iceland in 2011. Eastern European states like Poland, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia did so in 1988 when they were part of the communist bloc, even though this had no real impact on the situation.