Brussels: Norway on Sunday handed over diplomatic papers to the Palestinian prime minister in the latest step toward recognising a Palestinian state, a largely symbolic move that has infuriated Israel.
Ireland and Spain made a concerted pledge with Norway to recognise a Palestinian state, a historic move
that increases Israel’s isolation more than seven months into its grinding war against Hamas in Gaza.
The handover of papers by Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide to the prime minister was made in Brussels, where Mohammad Mustafa is also meeting with foreign ministers of European Union nations and high-level EU officials on Monday to drum up support for the Palestinians. Norway itself is not part of the EU.
The diplomatic move by the three nations was a welcome boost of support for Palestinian officials
who have sought for decades to establish a statehood in east Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip — territories Israel seized in the 1967 Mideast war and still controls.
The formal recognition by Norway, Spain and Ireland — which all have a record of friendly ties with both the Israelis and the
Palestinians, while long advocating for a Palestinian state — is planned for Tuesday.
Some 140 countries — more than two-thirds of the United Nations — recognise a Palestinian state but a majority of the 27 EU nations still do not. Several have said they would recognise it when the conditions are right.
The EU, the United States and Britain, among others, back the idea of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel but say it should come as part of a negotiated settlement.
Belgium, which holds the EU presidency, has said that first the Israeli hostages held by Hamas need to be freed and the fighting in Gaza
must end.