|
Ireland and Spain will also announce the recognition of a
Palestinian state, sources said on Wednesday.
European Union members Slovenia and Malta have also indicated in
recent weeks that they plan to make the recognition, arguing a
two-state solution is essential for lasting peace in the region.
"In the middle of a war, with tens of thousands of dead and
injured, we must keep alive the only thing that can provide a
safe home for both Israelis and Palestinians: two states that
can live in peace with each other," Stoere told a press
conference.
Before the announcement, some 143 out of 193 member-states of
the United Nations recognized a Palestinian state.
European countries have approached the issue differently. Some,
like Sweden, recognized a Palestinian state a decade ago, while
France is not planning to do so unless it can be an effective
tool to make progress towards peace.
The moves come as Israeli forces have led assaults on the
northern and southern edges of the Gaza Strip in May, causing a
new exodus of hundreds of thousands of people, and sharply
restricted the flow of aid, raising the risk of famine.
Non-EU member Norway has long said it would recognize Palestine
as a country only if it could have a positive impact on the
peace process, in step with what the United States has said on
the issue.
Norway is a close U.S. ally, and the Nordic country has sought
to help broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians on
several occasions in recent decades.
(Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis and Gwladys Fouche in Oslo,
writing by Terje Solsvik, editing by Stine Jacobsen and Nick
Macfie)
[© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2022 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
