With the recognition of Palestinian statehood by Ireland, Norway and Spain, which announced they would formally take this action on May 28, the number of countries recognizing the State of Israel, but not the Palestinian state, is decreasing.
This year, the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados recognized Palestine
Specifically, after the announcement of the three European countries, the difference decreased to less than 20 countries, as once the decision is officially ratified, the total number of member states of the United Nations that recognize the Palestinian state will rise to 146 out of the total number of member states of the United Nations that recognize the Palestinian state. From 193.
On the other hand, Israel is recognized by 165 member states of the United Nations, the most recent of which are the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco, which established relations with Tel Aviv under the US-backed Abraham Accords in late 2020.
The three countries enjoy full diplomatic relations with Israel, and there have been no indications on their part that they plan to reduce the level of their relationship with Israel, and most UN member states recognize the Israeli and Palestinian states.
But there was a reaction from Israel, as Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz announced, according to what was reported by the Haaretz newspaper. Newsweek He withdrew the country’s ambassadors from Ireland and Norway for “consultations” and threatened Spain with similar “severe consequences” if it went ahead with its decision.
What other countries recognized Palestine this year?
The movement of the three European countries shows the increasing trend and momentum in Europe in this direction since the start of the war in Gaza, and there are reports from other countries, such as Belgium, Malta and Slovenia, indicating that they may do so. Follow their example.
Most countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia recognize the Palestinian state. However, the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea and many Western European countries do not.
The countries that recognized Palestine this year are the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados.
Countries that recognize the Palestinian state (Source: Newsweek)
In the final vote before the UN General Assembly earlier this month, the resolution granting Palestine a range of rights under the General Assembly received the support of 143 countries, while nine countries, including the United States and Israel, opposed it, and 25 countries abstained from voting.
It is worth noting that more than a dozen countries that do not recognize the Palestinian state, such as Australia, France, and Japan, supported this measure, while other countries that already recognize the Palestinian state, such as Bulgaria, Sweden, and Ukraine, chose to abstain or reject the vote. In the cases of Argentina, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Papua New Guinea, to vote against it.
The United States was the only permanent member to vote against the move in a previous vote in the 15-member UN Security Council last month, and used its veto to prevent the Palestinian statehood process from moving forward at the international level.
Pressure has also mounted against Israel due to the humanitarian impact of the war in Gaza, and at least nine countries have withdrawn their ambassadors from Israel, downgraded ties or severed ties altogether.
Recognition from 2011 to 2023
the Al Jazeera, takes a look at the time when countries recognized the State of Palestine. According to him, the first Oslo Accord was signed on September 13, 1993. The agreement between Israeli and Palestinian leaders led to each side recognizing the other for the first time.
Both sides also pledged to end the decades-long conflict. A second agreement was signed in September 1995. The Oslo Accords were supposed to achieve self-determination for the Palestinians in the form of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
A Palestinian refugee holds the Palestinian flag during a demonstration in Madrid, Spain, July 21, 2015 (Credit: REUTERS/Juan Medina)
According to the Oslo Accords, until May 4, 1999, there was supposed to be an independent Palestine. However, the year 2000 marked the beginning of the Second Intifada.
In 2011, although Palestine failed to join the United Nations after campaigning for full membership, UNESCO granted the Palestinians full membership in the UN cultural body, prompting the United States to withdraw from the organization. In 2012, the General Assembly voted to change Palestine’s status to a “non-member observer state,” and in 2015, the International Criminal Court recognized Palestine as a member.
In 2014, Sweden became the first country in Western Europe to recognize Palestine.
These are the countries that recognized Palestine from 2011 to 2023:
- 2023: Mexico
- 2019: Saint Kitts and Nevis
- 2018: Colombia
- 2015: Saint Lucia
- 2014: Sweden
- 2013: Haiti, Vatican City
- 2012: Thailand
- 2011: Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Lesotho, South Sudan, Syria, Liberia, El Salvador, Honduras, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Iceland.
Recognition from 2000 to 2010
Countries that recognized Palestine during the first decade of our century:
- 2010: Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador
- 2009: Venezuela, Dominican Republic
- 2008: Costa Rica, Lebanon, Ivory Coast
- 2006: Montenegro
- 2005: Paraguay
- 2004: East Timor
Recognition from 1989 to 1999
The following are the countries that recognized Palestine during the last decade of the twentieth century:
1998: Malawi
1995: South Africa, Kyrgyzstan
1994: Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Papua New Guinea
1992: Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina
1991: Esfatini 1
989: Rwanda, Ethiopia, Iran, Benin, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Vanuatu, Philippines
1988
On November 15, 1988, in the early years of the First Intifada, Yasser Arafat, head of the Palestine Liberation Organization, declared Palestine an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.
Algeria became the first country to officially recognize Palestine. Most European countries that recognized Palestine did so as part of the former Soviet bloc.
1988: 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, 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 the Congo, Angola, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe , Gabon, Oman, Poland, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Botswana, Nepal, Burundi, Central African Republic, Bhutan, Western Sahara.
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