Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store speaks during a press conference in Oslo, Norway, on Wednesday. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz ordered Israeli ambassadors from Ireland and Norway to immediately return to Israel, as Norway said it would recognize a Palestinian state and Ireland is expected to do the same on one’s own.
Erik Flaaris Johansen/AP
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Erik Flaaris Johansen/AP
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store speaks during a press conference in Oslo, Norway, on Wednesday. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz ordered Israeli ambassadors from Ireland and Norway to immediately return to Israel, as Norway said it would recognize a Palestinian state and Ireland is expected to do the same on one’s own.
Erik Flaaris Johansen/AP
BARCELONA, Spain — Norway, Ireland and Spain recognized a Palestinian state on Wednesday in a historic move that drew condemnation from Israel and jubilation from Palestinians. Israel has ordered the expulsion of its ambassadors from Norway and Ireland.
It was a series of lightning-fast announcements. First is Norway, where Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said that “there can be no peace in the Middle East without recognition”.
Gahr Støre said the Scandinavian country will officially recognize a Palestinian state as of May 28. “By recognizing a Palestinian state, Norway supports the Arab peace plan,” he said.
In recent weeks, several European Union countries have indicated that they plan to recognize, arguing that a two-state solution is essential for lasting peace in the region.
Norway, which is not a member of the European Union but reflects the EU’s moves, is a staunch supporter of a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.
The Norwegian government leader said: “The terrorist attack was carried out by Hamas and militant groups that do not support the two-state solution and the state of Israel.” “Palestine has the fundamental right to an independent state.”
The move comes as Israeli forces launched attacks on the northern and southern edges of the Gaza Strip in May, triggering a new exodus of hundreds of thousands of people and sharply restricting the flow of people. aid, increasing the risk of famine.
Gahr Støre said the Scandinavian nation “will therefore regard Palestine as an independent state with all the rights and obligations that entails”.
The Norwegian government said this development comes more than 30 years after the first Oslo agreement was signed in 1993. Since then, “the Palestinians have taken important steps towards a two-home solution water”.
It said that the World Bank determined that a Palestinian state had met the key criteria to function as a state by 2011, that national institutions had been built to provide its people with important service.
“The war in Gaza and the continued expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank still mean that the situation in Palestine is more difficult than it has been in decades,” the Norwegian government said.
Also Wednesday, Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris made his announcement, saying it was a coordinated move with Spain and Norway, “a historic and important day for Ireland and Palestine.” He said the move is intended to help bring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to resolution through a two-state solution.
Ireland’s prime minister said he thought other countries would join Norway, Spain and Ireland in recognizing a Palestinian state “in the coming weeks”.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said his country will recognize a Palestinian state also on May 28. Sánchez, leader of Spain’s Socialist Party since 2018, made the announcement tentative before the country’s National Assembly on Wednesday.
Sánchez has spent months touring European and Middle Eastern countries to drum up support for recognition of a Palestinian state, as well as a possible ceasefire in Gaza. He has said multiple times that he is committed to making the move.
Earlier this month, Spanish Foreign Minister José Albares said he had informed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken of his government’s intention to recognize a Palestinian state.
The rapid developments have drawn condemnation from Israel. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz ordered Israeli ambassadors from Ireland and Norway to immediately return to Israel. Norway announced that it would recognize the Palestinian state and Ireland is expected to do the same.
“Ireland and Norway today intend to send a message to Palestinians and the whole world: terrorism has a price,” Katz said.
He said the recognition could hinder Israel’s efforts to return hostages being held in Gaza and make a ceasefire less likely by “rewarding Hamas jihadists and Iran.” He also threatened to recall Israel’s ambassador to Spain if that country took a similar position.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed Norway’s recognition of the Palestinian state and called on other countries to follow suit.
In a statement carried by the official Wafa news agency, he said Norway’s decision, announced on Wednesday, would protect “the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people” and support efforts to achieve achieve a two-state solution with Israel.
