Spain, Ireland, and Norway Recognized Palestinian State
- washingtoninstitute.org
Previously only seven members of the 27-nation EU officially recognized a Palestinian state. Five of them are former East bloc countries that announced recognition in 1988, as did Cyprus, before joining the European Union (EU). Sweden’s recognition came in 2014.
Relations between the EU and Israel have nosedived with the diplomatic recognitions by two EU members, and Madrid insisting on Monday that the EU should take measures against Israel for its continued deadly attacks in southern Gaza’s city of Rafah.
After Monday’s meeting of EU foreign ministers, Irish Foreign Minister Micheál Martin said: “For the first time at an EU meeting, in a real way, I have seen a significant discussion on sanctions on Israel,"
Harris, the Irish leader, insisted that the EU should consider economic sanctions against Israel, saying: “Europe could be doing a hell of a lot more.”
bendera Palestina
- Brahim Guedich/Wikimedia
Norway, which isn’t an EU member but often aligns its foreign policy with the bloc, handed diplomatic papers to the Palestinian government over the weekend before its formal recognition.
At the same time, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell threw his weight behind the International Criminal Court, whose prosecutor is seeking an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others, including leaders of the Hamas militant group.
The formal declaration and resulting diplomatic dispute come more than seven months into an assault waged by Israel following the October 7 Hamas-led attack in which militants stormed across the Gaza border into Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostage.
Israel’s air and land attacks have killed 36,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians.
The joint announcement by Spain, Ireland and Norway last week triggered an angry response from Israeli authorities, which summoned the countries’ ambassadors in Tel Aviv to the Foreign Ministry, where they were filmed while being shown videos of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and abductions.
Wamenhan: Pengiriman Prajurit TNI ke Gaza Tunggu Komando Presiden Prabowo
Wakil Menteri Pertahanan (Wamenhan) Donny Ermawan Taufanto mengatakan TNI sudah menyiapkan prajurit TNI untuk dikirim ke Gaza menyusul bergabungnya RI ke Board of Peace.
