This Month Admits Palestinian State, Irish Foreign Minister: We Support The Right To Determine Our Own Fate

Illustration of the Palestinian state (Source: UN Photo/Manuel Elvis)

JAKARTA - Ireland plans to recognize the status of a Palestinian state later this month, a form of support for the right to self-determination and peace.

That was said by Irish Foreign Minister Michal Martin on Wednesday. Previously, Ireland was expected to announce recognition on May 21.

"We will recognize the Palestinian state before the end of this month," Foreign Minister Martin told radio Newstalk.

"The specific date is still uncertain, because we are still discussing with several countries regarding mutual recognition," he continued.

A number of EU members, including Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, and Malta, have planned to give the recognition next week, arguing that a two-state solution is essential for lasting peace in the region.

Foreign Minister Martin said he was consulting with his colleagues from other countries to complete the details, before officially recognizing the Palestinian state.

"We are doing so within the context of the Arab peace initiative, a path to a two-state solution and to send a signal to the Palestinian people broadly that we support the right to self-determine," he said.

Late last month, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a number of EU countries are expected to recognize the Palestinian state by the end of May, quoted from WAFA.

These efforts were made as the number of casualties increased in Gaza as a result of the Israeli attack to defeat Hamas which prompted global calls for a ceasefire and a lasting solution to peace in the region.

Since 1988, 139 of the 193 UN member states have recognized the Palestinian state.

Responding to the admission plan, Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel Katz at the time said recognition of the Palestinian state was a 'gift' to terrorism, kept away resolutions and increased regional instability.

"Recognition of the Palestinian state after the October 7 massacre sent a message to Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist organizations that the deadly terror attacks against Israelis would be met with political signs against Palestine," Israel's Foreign Minister Katz wrote on social media X.

Separately, Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour last month said new countries in the Caribbean and Latin American regions would soon recognize the Palestinian state.

He said the Republics of Tokyo and Tobago would soon recognize Palestinian countries following Jamaica and Barbados' recognition of Palestine as a country. He also said efforts were being made with the Bahamas and Panama to recognize the Palestinian State, in response to the United States' veto on full Palestinian membership at the United Nations.