Norwegian NGO welcomes 3 European countries' Palestine recognition decision

A Norwegian non-governmental organization welcomed a decision Wednesday by three European countries to recognize Palestine as a state.

"It's good and important that Norway, Spain and Ireland join 140 countries worldwide and recognise Palestine as a sovereign state," Norwegian Refugee Council's Secretary General Jan Egeland wrote on X.

He noted that Norway was among the first nations to work for and recognize Israel as an independent state in 1948 - 1949 and said it "could not be among the last to do the same for Palestinians."

"Negotiations about a final peace deal between Israel and Palestine have been without results for too many years, and the international community must take more responsibility for providing political solutions to the endless conflicts," he said.

He underscored that recognition of Palestine must now be followeds with increased efforts from Norway and the wider international community toward getting the parties around the negotiating table "with the aim of providing Israel and Palestine with the security and development both deserve."

His remarks came after Norway, Ireland, and Spain announced they would recognize Palestine as a state as of May 28.

The announcements by the three European countries come as Israel continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

Palestine is already recognized by eight European countries: Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Sweden, and the Greek Cypriot administration.

More than 35,700 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and nearly 80,000 others injured since October following an attack by the Palestinian group, Hamas.

More than seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered it to ensure that its forces do not commit acts of genocide and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.