Palestine State
Updated 2024-08-28
2024-07-18 Israeli Lawmakers Vote Against Palestinian Statehood Before Netanyahu’s US Trip While Israel’s troops wage what has been widely decried as genocide on the Gaza Strip, Israeli lawmakers on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed a resolution opposing “the establishment of a Palestinian state” west of the Jordan River.
The measure passed Israel’s legislature, the Knesset, 68-9. It was spearheaded by Knesset Member Zeev Elkin of New Hope – The United Right, who shared the key messages from the resolution on social media along with a photo of the final tally.
According to Religious Zionism-affiliated Israel National News: The proposal says, “The Israeli Knesset firmly opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan. The establishment of a Palestinian state in the heart of the land of Israel will pose an existential threat to the state of Israel and its citizens, perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and destabilize the region.” “It will only be a matter of a short time until Hamas takes over the Palestinian state and turns it into a base of radical Islamic terrorism, working in coordination with the axis led by Iran, to eliminate the state of Israel.” https://truthout.org/articles/israeli-lawmakers-vote-against-palestinian-statehood-before-netanyahus-us-trip/
2024-06-21 ‘Powerful Symbolism’ as Armenia Recognizes Palestinian Statehood Armenia on Friday became the latest nation to formally recognize the state of Palestine, a move that infuriated Israel but was hailed by human rights defenders—some of whom urged nations including the United States and Britain to join the overwhelming majority of countries in supporting Palestinian statehood.
“The Republic of Armenia is genuinely committed to establishing peace and stability in the Middle East and lasting reconciliation between the Jewish and Palestinian peoples,” the Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“On various international platforms, our position has consistently been in favor of a peaceful and comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian issue, and we support the ‘two-state’ solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” the statement continued. “We are convinced that this is the only way to ensure that both Palestinians and Israelis can fulfill their legitimate aspirations.”
Palestinian officials applauded the move by Armenia, which they said is the 149th nation to formally recognize the state of Palestine. https://www.commondreams.org/news/armenia-palestine
2024-05-26 Why is the West divided over Palestinian statehood? Despite talk of two states, historian Yazid Sayigh says the US has no real plans leading to Palestinian independence. More Western states are recognising Palestine, but as long as the US opposes Palestinian independence and sovereignty, “things will get worse for all of us”, says Yezid Sayigh, senior fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center.
Sayigh tells host Steve Clemons that the United States is lobbying for “day-after” plans in Gaza that “set the stage for future violence” because they don’t lead to statehood. Despite international pressure and a global solidarity movement supporting Palestine, the former Palestinian negotiator argues, the Palestinian national movement is not coalescing, and Palestinians are “leaderless” on the world stage. https://www.aljazeera.com/program/the-bottom-line/2024/5/26/why-is-the-west-divided-over-palestinian-statehood
2024-05-26 Slovenian FM: Recognising Palestine is a ‘moral duty’ Tanja Fajon discusses her country’s Palestine recognition process. In a bold move on the global stage, Slovenia has joined a coalition of European Union countries in a significant diplomatic initiative: the recognition of a Palestinian state.
This step not only raises pivotal questions about the influence of smaller nations in global diplomacy but also underscores their potential to reshape entrenched geopolitical narratives. We will examine what effect this will have as the Slovenian foreign minister, Tanja Fajon, talks to Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/program/talk-to-al-jazeera/2024/5/26/slovenian-fm-recognising-palestine-is-a-moral-duty
2024-05-24 European countries recognition of Palestine: too little too late? Marc Lamont Hill discusses the latest move towards recognizing Palestinian statehood with analyst Mouin Rabbani.
On May 28th, Norway, Spain, and Ireland will officially recognize Palestine as an independent state, joining the more than 140 other countries that have already done so, in a move they hope will pressure Israel and its allies to find a solution to the war. However, the US and other major Western powers have long opposed unilateral recognition, arguing instead that a two-state solution should come after peace talks. The announcements have been heavily criticized by Israel, claiming it was “rewarding terrorists”. Meanwhile, Hamas called this new recognition a “turning point”. Will this mark a significant shift in the West’s position on the conflict? Or is it, as some critics have said, too little, too late?https://www.aljazeera.com/program/upfront/2024/5/24/european-countries-recognition-of-palestine-too-little-too-late
2024-05-24 What’s behind Norway’s recognition of Palestinian statehood? Norway, alongside Ireland and Spain, recently announced its decision to formally recognise Palestinian statehood based on the pre-1967 borders, starting from Tuesday. Predictably, as the Palestinian Authority and Hamas welcomed this development, the Israeli government lashed out by quickly withdrawing its ambassadors from Oslo, Dublin and Madrid and summoning the Norwegian, Irish and Spanish representatives in Tel Aviv.https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/24/whats-behind-norways-recognition-of-palestinian-statehood
2024-05-23 Why is Israel angry some EU countries are recognizing Palestine? Ireland, Norway and Spain will formally recognise Palestine as a state for the sake of “peace in the Middle East”. Their announcement on Wednesday triggered warnings from Israel and threats of consequences not only for the European countries but also for the Palestinians living under Israeli occupation in the West Bank and those in the Gaza Strip.https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/23/why-is-israel-angry-that-some-eu-countries-recognised-palestine
2024-05-22 What does the increasing recognition of Palestinian statehood mean? Norway, Ireland and Spain announce they will recognise an independent Palestinian state. Until now, most Western countries have maintained they will formally recognise Palestinian statehood only at the end of a peace process with Israel. After more than seven months of Israel’s devastating war on Gaza, Norway, Spain and the Republic of Ireland say they won’t wait any longer. https://www.aljazeera.com/program/inside-story/2024/5/22/what-does-the-increasing-recognition-of-palestinian-statehood-mean
2024-05-22 Norway, Spain, Ireland to recognize Palestinian state “We want to raise the voice of those who still believe in a peaceful, non-violent solution,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide told Al Jazeera. The three European countries will formalise their decision on May 28. https://www.aljazeera.com/program/newsfeed/2024/5/22/ireland-norway-spain-to-recognise-palestinian-state
2024-05-22 Mapping which countries recognize Palestine in 2024 This month, 143 of the 193 members of the United Nations General Assembly voted in favour of Palestine joining the UN, something only states can do. Most of the Middle East, Africa and Asia recognise Palestinian statehood. However, the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea and many Western European states do not.
The countries who have recognised Palestine this year are the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados.
In 2011, despite Palestine’s failure to join the UN after campaigning for full membership, UNESCO granted the Palestinians full membership in the UN cultural agency, leading the US to defund the body. In 2012, the General Assembly voted in favour of changing Palestine’s status to “nonmember observer state”, and in 2015, the International Criminal Court recognised Palestine as a party.
In 2014, Sweden became the first country in Western Europe to recognise Palestine.
These are the countries that have recognised Palestine in the previous 12 years:
2023: Mexico, 2019: Saint Kitts and Nevis, 2018: Colombia, 2015: Saint Lucia, 2014: Sweden, 2013: Guatemala, Haiti, the Vatican, 2012: Thailand, 2011: Chile, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Lesotho, South Sudan, Syria, Liberia, El Salvador, Honduras, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Iceland
Under the Oslo Accords, by May 4, 1999, there was supposed to be an independent Palestine. However, the new millennium marked the beginning of the second Intifada. These are the countries that recognised Palestine in the first decade of this century:
2010: Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, 2009: Venezuela, Dominican Republic, 2008: Costa Rica, Lebanon, Ivory Coast, 2006: Montenegro, 2005: Paraguay, 2004: East Timor
The first Oslo Accord was signed on September 13, 1993. The agreement between Israeli and Palestinian leaders saw each side recognise the other for the first time. Both sides also pledged to end their decades-long conflict. A second accord was signed in September 1995. The Oslo Accords were supposed to bring about Palestinian self-determination in the form of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Here are the nations that recognised Palestine in the last decade of the 20th century: 1998: Malawi, 1995: South Africa, Kyrgyzstan, 1994: Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Papua New Guinea, 1992: Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1991: Eswatini, 1989: Rwanda, Ethiopia, Iran, Benin, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Vanuatu, Philippines
On November 15, 1988, in the early years of the first Intifada, Yasser Arafat, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization, proclaimed Palestine as an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. He did so from Algiers, and Algeria became the first country to officially recognise Palestine. Most of the European countries recognising Palestine did so as part of the former Soviet bloc:
1988: Algeria, Bahrain, Indonesia, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Somalia, Tunisia, Turkey, Yemen, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cuba, Jordan, Madagascar, Malta, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Serbia, Zambia, Albania, Brunei, Djibouti, Mauritius, Sudan, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Egypt, The Gambia, India, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Namibia, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Vietnam, China, Burkina Faso, Comoros, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Cambodia, Mali, Mongolia, Senegal, Hungary, Cape Verde, North Korea, Niger, Romania, Tanzania, Bulgaria, Maldives, Ghana, Togo, Zimbabwe, Chad, Laos, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Republic of Congo, Angola, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, Gabon, Oman, Poland, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Botswana, Nepal, Burundi, Central African Republic, Bhutan, Western Sahara https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/22/mapping-which-countries-recognise-palestine-in-2024
2024-05-10 UN Vote Was for Palestinian Membership, Not Statehood In a blow to the U.S., the U.N. General Assembly voted Friday to give Palestine, whose statehood it has already acknowledged, full U.N. membership, forcing the U.S. into another embarrassing veto at the Security Council, says Joe Lauria. https://consortiumnews.com/2024/05/10/un-vote-was-for-palestinian-membership-not-statehood/
2024-04-16 Letters to the Editor: Needing Israel’s Permission to Recognize Palestine https://www.wrmea.org/2024-may/letters-to-the-editor-needing-israel-s-permission-to-recognize-palestine.html
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