Xinhua 05/23/2024 08:43

Norway, Ireland and Spain announced on Wednesday that they would officially recognize Palestine as a state.

At a news conference in Oslo, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Storr said his country supports Palestine's entry as a full member of the United Nations.

Photo taken on May 22, 2024 shows the national flag of Palestine near the Storting, the seat of the Norwegian Parliament, in Oslo, the capital of Norway. (Xinhua/Chen Yaqin)

“Norway's formal recognition of Palestine as a state will take effect on May 28. There will be no peace in the Middle East without a two-state solution. And there will be no two-state solution. Two states without a Palestinian state. In other words, the existence of a Palestinian state is a prerequisite for achieving peace in the Middle East,” Mr Storr said.

He explained that demarcation between Palestine and Israel should be based on the pre-1967 borders, with Jerusalem serving as the capital of both countries. This position does not rule out a final border settlement involving land transfers.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide stressed the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza. “The most urgent thing now is to achieve a ceasefire, ensure that sufficient humanitarian aid reaches the people of Gaza and release the hostages,” he said.

On the same day, Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed their countries would join Norway in recognizing a Palestinian state.

“Today, we each announce that Ireland, Norway and Spain will take all necessary national steps to give effect to this decision,” Mr Harris said in the Irish capital, Dublin.

“Lasting peace can only be secured on the basis of the free will of a free people,” added the Irish prime minister.

He said the Palestinians in Gaza are enduring the worst suffering, hardship and starvation. “A humanitarian disaster unimaginable to most of us and unacceptable to all is unfolding in real time.”

Spain's recognition of Palestine will also take effect after the Council of Ministers meets on May 28. Sanchez stressed that Spain took the decision in the spirit of “peace, justice and harmony”. He urged both sides to engage in dialogue to achieve a two-state solution, stressing the need to end all reported abuses in the occupied territories.

(Web Editor: Ying Xie, Yishuang Liu)

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