The leaders of Norway, Ireland and Spain have said their countries will formally recognize Palestine as a state next week for the sake of “peace in the Middle East,“ prompting Israel to immediately recall its envoys.
Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said on May 22 that a two-state solution was in Israel’s best interest and the recognition of Palestinian statehood would come as of May 28. Ireland’s prime minister Simon Harris made a similar announcement in Dublin, as did Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Madrid, to applause in parliament.
The timing of the move comes amid heightened international pressure on Israel. Just this week, the International Criminal Court prosecutor Kharim Khan announced that he was seeking an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, among others, and the International Court of Justice hears on South Africa’s request for a ruling to stop the Israeli offensive in Rafah, southern Gaza.
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