Five Additional European Countries Moving Toward Recognizing State of Palestine

By Al Ahed Staff, Agencies

Some more EU member states, including Ireland and Spain, are considering official recognition of the State of Palestine on 21 May, according to Ireland’s RTE yesterday.

“Contacts between Dublin and Madrid, as well as between Slovenia and Malta, have been intensifying with a view to the countries jointly recognizing Palestinian statehood,” added the Irish radio and television network. A spokesman for Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense Michael Martin confirmed that these talks are ongoing.

It is known that Ireland, Slovenia, Malta and Norway support the initiative to recognize the Palestinian state that is led by Spain. The State of Palestine is currently recognized by eight members of the European Union: Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, the Greek Cypriot Administration and Sweden.

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, had said earlier that he expected some EU countries to officially recognized Palestine.