The Irish government is also preparing to announce the recognition of a Palestinian state. “It is an expression of our view that Palestine holds and should be able to claim all of its statehood rights, including self-determination, self-government, territorial integrity and security ” said Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will approve the recognition of the Palestinian state on Tuesday May 28.
As a result, Israel recalled its ambassadors to Ireland and Norway. “Israel will not show complacency towards those who undermine its sovereignty and endanger its security,” Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. “Ireland and Norway intend to send a message today to the Palestinians and the entire world: terrorism pays. »
Norway’s long-term commitment has supported and sought to advance the two-state solution. The recognition of Palestine as a state highlights the long-standing Norwegian position that a lasting solution to the Middle East conflict can only be achieved through a two-state solution.
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Two-state solution
The Palestinian people have a fundamental and independent right to self-determination. Israelis and Palestinians have the right to live in peace in their respective states. There will be no peace in the Middle East without a two-state solution. There cannot be a two-state solution without a Palestinian state. In other words, a Palestinian state is a prerequisite for achieving peace in the Middle East,” said Prime Minister Støre.
The territorial demarcation between the State of Palestine and the State of Israel should be based on the pre-1967 borders, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States and without prejudice to a final settlement of the borders, including the use of land exchanges.
“Recognition of Palestine is a way to support moderate forces who are losing ground in this prolonged and brutal conflict. It also sends a strong message to other countries to follow the lead of Norway and a number of other European countries and recognize the State of Palestine. This could ultimately allow the process leading to a two-state solution to be restarted and given new impetus,” said Prime Minister Støre.
Recognition as a driving force for peace
Since the Oslo Accords around 30 years ago, Norway and many other countries have followed a strategy in which recognition would follow a peace agreement. This did not come to fruition.
“In the absence of a peace process and a political solution to the conflict, developments have gone in the wrong direction. Neither Palestinians nor Israelis can live in security. This is why we must think differently and act accordingly. We can no longer wait until the conflict is resolved before recognizing the State of Palestine,” Mr Støre said.
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“Palestine is caught in a downward spiral of economic instability and aid dependence, as well as a lack of basic rights. Terrorism and violence by Hamas and other militant groups undermine the trust so essential to building lasting peace. Israel’s long-standing policy of establishing and expanding illegal settlements weakens the foundations of a viable Palestinian state. A general sense of despair has grown among Palestinians over the years,” said Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.
Several reasons to recognize it now
There are several reasons why now is the right time to recognize Palestine as a state. “The ongoing war in Gaza has shown very clearly that achieving peace and stability must involve resolving the Palestinian question. This war constitutes the lowest point of the protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The situation in the Middle East has not been this serious for many years,” Støre said.
The United Nations General Assembly recently passed a resolution declaring that Palestine is fully qualified to become a member of the United Nations, with an overwhelming majority of 143 countries voting in favor.
Norway’s expectations
In its role as chair of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC), the international donor group for Palestine, Norway has been a strong supporter of the Palestinian state-building project. While recognizing Palestine as a state, Norway clearly hopes that the new Palestinian government will continue its efforts to implement democratic reforms, strengthen the judicial system and fight corruption.
“Norway will continue to support the Palestinian state-building project. We must strengthen the Palestinian Authority under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammed Mustafa, and we must work for the Palestinian Authority to govern in Gaza after a ceasefire and for there to be a single Palestinian government. The goal is to achieve a Palestinian state that is politically coherent and derives from the Palestinian Authority,” Eide said.
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