Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Wikipedia)
The government of Norway on Wednesday declared its recognition of Palestine as an independent state from 28 May. The governments of Spain and Ireland followed soon after.
In response, Israel has recalled its ambassadors to the countries. Norway also said that should arrest warrants be issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant on war crimes committed in Gaza, it would honor such warrants and order their arrests.
Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre issued a statement Wednesday morning saying, “The Norwegian Government has decided that Norway will recognize Palestine as a state. In the midst of a war, with tens of thousands killed and injured, we must keep alive the only alternative that offers a political solution for Israelis and Palestinians alike: Two states, living side by side, in peace and security.”
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“Recognition of Palestine is a means of supporting the moderate forces which have been losing ground in this protracted and brutal conflict. It also sends a strong message to other countries to follow the example of Norway and a number of other European countries and recognize the state of Palestine. This could ultimately make it possible to resume the process towards achieving a two-state solution and give it renewed momentum,” said Prime Minister Støre.
Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris stressed that “Hamas is not the Palestinian people.” He added, “Today’s decision to recognize Palestine is taken to help create a peaceful future.”
Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said. “Today, we state clearly our unambiguous support for the equal right to security, dignity, and self-determination for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the move was “not against Israel, is not against the Jews.” he added, “It is not in favor of Hamas, which is something that has been said. This recognition is not against anyone, it is in favour of peace and coexistence.”
In response, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, ordered the immediate return to Israel of the Israeli ambassadors to Ireland and Norway for consultations against the background of these countries’ decision to announce their recognition of a Palestinian state.
“I am sending a clear message today – Israel will not be complacent against those who undermine its sovereignty and endanger its security,” he said.
“Ireland and Norway intend to send a message to the Palestinians and the whole world today: Terrorism pays,” added Katz. “After the terrorist organization Hamas carried out the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, after it committed the most horrific sex crimes the world has seen, these countries chose to give a reward to Hamas and Iran and recognize a Palestinian state.”
Katz went on to say that the move by Norway was an “injustice to the memory of the 7/10 victims. It is also an injury to the efforts to return the 128 abductees and the abductees – this is a backwind for the jihadists of Hamas and Iran, which distances the chance for peace and undermines Israel’s right to self-defense.”
“The Irish-Norwegian stupidity parade does not deter us, we are determined to achieve our goals: restoring security to our citizens and the removal of Hamas and the return of the kidnapped,” said Katz. “There are no more just goals than these.”
The terrorist organization, which controls Gaza and is still at war with Israel, said Wednesday’s announcements would be a “turning point in the international position on the Palestinian issue.”
There’s a growing international push for Palestinian statehood
Recently, a significant vote at the UN General Assembly highlighted this. 143 out of 193 members voted in favor of Palestine joining the UN, a privilege typically reserved for recognized states.
This follows a shift in European recognition. Previously, only a handful of European countries (mostly former Soviet bloc members) recognized Palestine. Now, Slovenia, Malta, and potentially others are considering formal recognition.
While some, like Norway, see this as a way to restart peace talks, others, including the US, believe recognition should be part of a broader peace agreement.
