Spain and Norway formally recognize a Palestinian state as EU rift with Israel widens – NewsNation

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spain and Norway have taken steps to formally recognize a Palestinian state, with Ireland following suit Tuesday in a coordinated effort by the three Western European nations. Israel criticized the diplomatic move that will have no immediate impact on its grinding war in Gaza, but increases international pressure on Tel Aviv to soften its devastating response to last year’s Hamas-led attack.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the Spanish Cabinet will recognize a Palestinian state at its Tuesday morning meeting.

“This is a historic decision that has a single objective, which is to help Israelis and Palestinians achieve peace,” said Sánchez, at the doors of the prime minister’s palace in Madrid, during a televised speech.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz attacked Spain in the X, saying Sánchez’s government was “being complicit in inciting genocide against Jews and war crimes.”

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said in a statement that “for more than 30 years, Norway has been one of the strongest supporters of a Palestinian state. Today, when Norway officially recognizes Palestine as a state, it is a milestone in the relationship between Norway and Palestine.”

Although dozens of countries have recognized a Palestinian state, none of the major Western powers have done so. Still, the accession of three European countries to the group represents a victory for Palestinian efforts in the world of public opinion.

Relations between the EU and Israel have plummeted with diplomatic acknowledgments from two EU members and Madrid insisting on Monday that the EU must take action against Israel for its continued deadly attacks in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

Following Monday’s meeting of EU foreign ministers, Irish Foreign Minister Micheál Martin said that “for the first time in an EU meeting, in a real way, I have seen a meaningful discussion about sanctions” for Israel .

Norway, which is not a member of the EU but often aligns its foreign policy with the bloc, handed diplomatic documents to the Palestinian government over the weekend, ahead of its formal recognition.

At the same time, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell backed the International Criminal Court, whose prosecutor is seeking an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others, including leaders of the militant group Hamas.

The formal declaration and resulting diplomatic dispute come seven months into an oppressive war waged by Israel against Hamas in Gaza, following the October 7 Hamas-led attack in which militants overran the Gaza border into Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. . Israel’s air and ground attacks have killed 36,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.

Last week’s joint announcement by Spain, Ireland and Norway triggered an angry response from Israeli authorities, who summoned the countries’ ambassadors in Tel Aviv to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where they were filmed watching videos of the Hamas attack and kidnappings in October 7th.

Around 140 countries – more than two-thirds of the United Nations – recognize a Palestinian state. The addition of three Western European countries to that group will likely put pressure on EU heavyweights France and Germany to rethink their position.

Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob said on Monday that his government will decide on recognizing a Palestinian state on Thursday and forward its decision to parliament for final approval.

The United States and Britain, among others, support the idea of ​​an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, but say it should be part of a negotiated settlement. Netanyahu’s government claims that the conflict can only be resolved through direct negotiations.

In his speech on Tuesday, Sánchez said that the recognition of a Palestinian state was “a decision that we have not adopted against anyone, much less against Israel, a friendly people that we respect, that we appreciate and that we want to be with. the best relationship possible.”

The socialist leader, who announced his country’s decision before parliament last week, spent months touring European and Middle Eastern countries, including stops in Oslo and Dublin, to drum up support for the recognition of a Palestinian state and a ceasefire. -fire in Gaza.

He called for a permanent ceasefire, increased humanitarian aid to Gaza and the release of hostages Hamas has held since the October 7 attack that triggered Israel’s response.

Sánchez said the move was aimed at supporting the beleaguered Palestinian Authority, which has lost effective political control of Gaza to Hamas. He laid out his vision for a state governed by the Palestinian Authority that should link the West Bank and Gaza through a corridor with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Norwegian Barth Eide added that “it is regrettable that the Israeli government does not show signs of constructive engagement.

“The recognition is a strong expression of support for moderate forces in both countries,” said Norway’s top diplomat.

The Western-backed Palestinian Authority administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, cooperates with Israel on security issues and favors a negotiated two-state solution. His forces were expelled from Gaza by Hamas when the militants seized power in 2007.

Palestinians have long sought an independent state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories that Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war. The idea of ​​a land corridor linking Gaza and the West Bank through Israel has been discussed in previous rounds of peace talks, but no serious or substantive peace talks have been held in more than 15 years.

“We will not recognize changes to the 1967 border lines other than those agreed by the parties,” Sánchez added.

“Furthermore, this decision reflects our absolute rejection of Hamas, a terrorist organization that is against the two-state solution,” Sánchez said. “From the beginning, Spain strongly condemned the terrorist attacks of October 7th. This clear condemnation is a resounding expression of our firm commitment to the fight against terrorism. I would like to emphasize that from tomorrow onwards we will focus all our efforts on implementing the two-state solution and bringing it to fruition.”

Israel is also under pressure from the International Criminal Court after its chief prosecutor said he would seek arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his defense minister. The ICJ is also considering allegations of genocide that Israel has vehemently denied.

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Associated Press writers Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel and Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark and Raf Casert in Brussels contributed to this report.

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