Amidst the turmoil of the conflict between Israel and Palestine, four nations have significantly diverged from an ambiguous and lagging response from the European Union. Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, and Norway (a non-European Union country), have independently moved forward to formally recognize the Palestinian state. This decision comes at a time when civilian casualties continue to mount, showing the frustration of these four countries with Israel’s continued offensive. Joining seven other members of the EU and one hundred and forty-three countries around the world in recognition, there remains tough hurdles to ending this conflict.
With what they believe is an insufficient response from the European Union, Ireland, Norway, Spain, and Slovenia maintain that recognizing Palestine will sustain calls for peace and promote Palestinian independence. Responses to the decision came quickly, with Israel condemning it in an official press release. Israel claimed that the decision rewarded Hamas for the October 7th terrorist attack. On the other hand, the Ambassador of Palestine in Ireland, Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, issued a statement, declaring that “Ireland’s declaration of recognition of our right to statehood is an important statement to the international community.” Other EU member states, including Germany and France remained tactful on the matter, with Germany saying this required further dialogue and France stating that conditions had not yet been met.
As air strikes in Central Gaza continue and civilian casualties rise in Israel’s offensive (totalling over 35,000 as of May 14 according to the Palestinian Health Authority), individual European states, such as Ireland, have become more vocal in their opposition towards Netanyahu’s strategy. This stands in contrast to the response seen from the European Union as a whole. As the Stimson Center, a nonpartisan think-tank on global peace, notes, recognition of Palestine has been a way for European countries to air their frustration towards Israel’s military approach, when the European Union continues to hold a more neutral stance. As of yet, the most significant step taken by the European Union was to call for an “immediate ceasefire.”
Currently eleven of the twenty-seven nations in the EU recognize the state of Palestine. Seven did so before joining the EU, many of which are Central and Eastern European countries that did so in 1988 while members of the Soviet bloc. Despite the divide in Europe, the four states' choice to provide diplomatic recognition is sending a strong message to their neighbors, namely that peace for Palestine cannot wait.
Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it would upgrade the representative office in the West Bank to an embassy and appoint an ambassador. Ireland continues to explore options such as cutting economic ties or investments with Israel, though no decisions have been made yet. Simon Harris, Ireland’s Taoiseach (Prime Minister), insisted that the EU should consider economic sanctions against Israel, with EU discussions ongoing about this matter.
The timing of recognizing the State of Palestine is crucial. While Palestine is recognized by more than two-thirds of UN General Assembly members, there has not been unanimous approval from the Security Council’s Committee on Admission of New Members. Full membership to the UN would afford Palestine the ability to vote on draft resolutions and decisions in its main organs and bodies, many that presently pertain to the conflict. The decision by Ireland, Norway, Spain, and Slovenia to recognize Palestine will not change the path to UN membership. Still, choosing to recognize Palestine now does increase pressure on the European Union to recognize Palestine as a self-governing country.
Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack has been alleged as war crimes by the UN Independent International Commission and the International Criminal Court, including for targeting civilians, sexual and gender-based violence, and other atrocities. The military response by Israel has also been alleged as war crimes by the UN Independent International Commission and the International Criminal Court for not properly distinguishing between combatants and civilians. Both Israel and Hamas dispute their respective charges.
The case of recognition for a Palestinian state continues to challenge capitals across the world, however, the biggest hurdle remains the United Nations Security Council. While governments and regional blocs will continue to make their own decisions on how to approach the ongoing conflict, regardless of recognition, a lot of work remains to bring a lasting peace.
By Lucas Gendron, WACNH Intern
