Ireland, Norway, and Spain have announced they will recognise a Palestinian state from 28 May. Spain says the decision is "not against Israel" and "is not in favour of Hamas... it is in favour of peace"
- Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz summons the three countries' ambassadors, and says they will watch a video of the 7 October attacks Israel also recalls its own envoys to Ireland, Norway and Spain.
- The Palestinian foreign ministry, the PLO, and Hamas welcome Ireland, Norway, and Spain's move
- At least 140 members of the United Nations already recognise Palestinian statehood - but not the UK or the US.
Today’s announcement by the Irish government is not a surprise - it has been mooted for months and was always a case of when, rather than if.
The three leaders of the coalition government briefed their cabinet colleagues yesterday with discussions centred around what recognition of a Palestinian state could mean for Ireland.
Ireland has been working particularly closely with Spain on this – the government had always said it wouldn’t be a solo run by Ireland and would happen in co-ordination with other EU countries.
Taoiseach Simon Harris, who took the top job last month, says it’s “never the wrong time to do the right thing”, adding that it has been Ireland’s long standing position that “a two state solution is the way to bring peace to the Middle-East”.
He believes the move to recognise the state of Palestine is a step towards this.
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