A total of four countries in Europe have agreed to take the first step to recognize Palestine as a sovereign state while Israel is still carrying out aggression in the Gaza Strip. These countries are Spain, Ireland, Malta and Slovenia.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the agreement was reached after meeting representatives of Ireland, Malta and Slovenia on the sidelines of the European Council meeting on Friday (22/3/2024) morning. "We agree that the only way to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region is through the implementation of a two-state solution, where the states of Israel and Palestine live side by side, in peace and security," said a joint statement released by Ireland, as reported by Reuters. CNN Indonesia.
Responding to the plan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government was furious. Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, scolded that resolution of the conflict would only be possible through direct negotiations between the parties. “Any involvement in the recognition of a Palestinian state would only distance the resolution from being achieved and increase regional instability,” Katz said, without specifying what kind of resolution he was referring to.
So far, Israel has openly excluded a Palestinian state. Israel's attitude like this causes them to be at odds with Western countries and Arab countries.
