Norway, Spain and Ireland will recognize an independent Palestinian state, their leaders said in near simultaneous announcements on Wednesday, defying staunch opposition from Israel.
"This is an historic and important day for Ireland and Palestine," Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said in a speech to the nation.
It was "never the wrong time to do the right thing," he said, comparing the Palestinian struggle for independence to Ireland's pursuit of independence over 100 years ago.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said in Oslo he hoped other countries would join in the initiative, believing it will advance the prospects for peace after more than seven months of fighting between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told the parliament in Madrid that it was clear to him Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "isn't pursuing a project of peace for Palestine."
Netanyahu was punishing Palestinian civilians "with hunger and terror," he said.
Spain has long been one of the harshest critics in Europe of Israel's military action in the Gaza Strip. The left-wing government suspended all arms exports to Israel in October. It also recently decided to deny all cargo ships loaded with weapons for Israel entry to Spanish harbours in future.
Netanyahu denounces move as rewarding terrorism
"The intention of several European countries to recognize a Palestinian state is a reward for terrorism," Netanyahu said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Eighty per cent of the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank] support the terrible massacre of October 7," he asserted. "This evil cannot be given a state."
"This would be a terrorist state. It will try to repeat the massacre of October 7 again and again; we will not consent to this," the Israeli prime minister asserted.
"Rewarding terrorism will not bring peace and neither will it stop us from defeating Hamas," Netanyahu added.
A two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict envisages an independent Palestinian state that exists peacefully side by side with Israel. Netanyahu opposes a two-state solution, as does Hamas.
Critics have repeatedly accused Netanyahu of having tolerated or even encouraged the rise of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. As a rival to the more moderate Fatah of President Mahmoud Abbas, it has served to divide the Palestinian people in order to prevent a Palestinian state.
Many right-wing Israelis consider a Palestinian state to be an intolerable security risk for Israel.
Others react
"We believe the only way that you are going to achieve a two state solution that delivers for both Israelis and Palestinians is through direct negotiations between the parties," US President Joe Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in Washington on Wednesday. The Biden administration has been working on this for a long time, he added.
In response to a question, Sullivan said that he could not see how the unilateral recognition of Palestine would contribute to any real progress towards a peace process or ceasefire.
"I take note of today’s announcement," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote in a post on the social media platform X.
"Within the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, I will relentlessly work with all Member States to promote a common EU position based on a 2-state solution," he added.
Israel recalled its ambassadors from the three countries in reaction.
Palestinians welcome the move
A top official with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which unilaterally declared a Palestinian state in 1988, called it an "historic" moment for the "free world."
"We thank the countries of the world that have recognized and will recognize the independent State of Palestine. We affirm that this is the path to stability, security and peace in the region," Hussein al-Sheikh, the secretary general of the PLO's executive committee, posted on X.
The office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also welcomed the move.
Current recognition and support for the 'two-state solution'
The majority of the member states of the United Nations recognize Palestine as a state. But there are major exceptions, including the United States, Germany, France and Britain.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Wednesday called for concrete steps towards a political solution to the Middle East conflict instead of symbolic politics.
An independent Palestinian state is a firm goal of German and European foreign policy, said Baerbock. "If a simple recognition now, at this moment, would bring peace, then I don't think anyone or any politician in the world would hesitate."
French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné said recognition should not be purely symbolic, but must contribute to a solution to the conflict. "Recognition now would not lead anywhere."
Ireland and Spain are members of the European Union, but Norway is not. Among EU countries, Sweden recognized Palestine as a state a decade ago.
The decision by the three countries to recognize Palestine is due to take effect on May 28.
Background to the conflict
Momentum for recognizing Palestinian statehood has grown in several European countries as the war that began on October 7 with the Hamas attack on Israel, which left some 1,200 people dead and another 250 others taken hostage, drags on.
Critics and allies of Israel have shown increasing frustration as the war continues to claim lives in Gaza amid mass displacement in the territory and worsening humanitarian conditions.
The Hamas-run health authority says more than 35,500 people have been killed so far.
Hamas said an "important step" had been taken on Wednesday toward an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. However, Hamas categorically rejects a two-state solution and, according to its doctrine, is committed to destroying Israel.
