Spain said that in the name of Middle East peace, it had agreed with Ireland, Malta and Slovenia to take first steps toward recognizing statehood declared by the Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip.
Gaza has long been under the rule of the Islamist group Hamas, which rejects peace with Israel and attacked it on October 07, 2023 triggering a devastating war that has stoked violence in the West Bank, where Israel has extensive Jewish settlements.
"Recognition of a Palestinian state following the October massacre sends a message to Hamas and the other Palestinian terrorist organizations that murderous terror attacks on Israelis will be reciprocated with political gestures to the Palestinians," Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on X.
"A resolution of the conflict will only be possible through direct negotiations between the parties. Any engagement in the recognition of a Palestinian state only distances reaching a resolution and increases regional instability."
Israel governing coalition includes pro-settlement far-rightists has long ruled out Palestinian statehood. That has put it at loggerheads with Western powers which support its goal of defeating Hamas but want a post-war diplomatic blueprint.
