Not all countries within the European Union recognize the State of Palestine

EU leaders have committed to recognizing a Palestinian state, but only 9 of the 27 current EU members have done so. Many of them trade with illegal Israeli settlements.

It has been 25 years since EU leaders committed to recognizing Palestine on time. But only 9 out of 27 countries actually did this. European Middle East Project director Martin Konecny believes that if the entire Union accepted this step, it would be easier to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip:

The recognition issue is just one of many examples of the gap between the EU’s stated support for the two-state principle and international law, and actual action. Thanks to the actions of countries such as Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal and especially France, progress is possible.

Currently, only 9 EU members recognize Palestine – Sweden, Malta, Cyprus and six Eastern European countries. However, now many of them are more likely to support Israel.

Despite internal disagreements in the European Union, its official position is the need to resume the peace process to achieve two states. This is confirmed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, which holds the Presidency of the European Council:

We are horrified by the number of victims and destruction. We cannot remain indifferent. It is necessary to return to negotiations and work towards realizing the two-state solution so that the Palestinians can live in peace and have hope for the future.

Palestine’s recognition by more countries has also helped bolster confidence in its administration and weaken Hamas’s influence in the Gaza Strip. However, according to the director of the Middle East Project, the EU must reconsider its policy towards illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank and break another taboo:

We are also talking about the EU’s attitude towards illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which impede the creation of a Palestinian state. We continue to trade with settlers, although we recognize that this Israeli policy is illegal. This is another example of inconsistency.

Almost 70% of UN members recognize the State of Palestine. At the General Assembly vote in December, 153 countries voted for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, but 6 EU countries voted against or abstained.

Source: https://ru.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/01/11/eu-recognition-of-palestine