Armenia announced this Friday the recognition of the Palestinian State and reiterated its support for the two-state principle to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
It’s a statement, The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs assures that “confirming its commitment to international law and the principles of equality, sovereignty and peaceful coexistence of peoples, the Republic of Armenia recognizes the State of Palestine.”
Furthermore, the official note adds, Armenia with this step, preceded less than a month ago by Spain, Ireland and Norway – and later by Slovenia -, is “sincerely interested in establishing peace and stability” in the Middle East.
Most of the world already recognizes Palestine as a state. Spain Ireland and Norway joined the growing list.
Photo:EPA-EFE/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK
“In various international platforms we have always advocated for a peaceful and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue and we support the two-state principle to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict,” Foreign Affairs stressed.
The Armenian Government expressed its conviction that this is “the only way to ensure that Palestinians and Israelis can realize their legitimate aspirations.”
Israel’s harsh reaction against Armenia
The Israeli Foreign Ministry summoned Armenia’s ambassador to Israel, Arman Akopian, this Friday with the purpose of scolding him after the country recognized Palestine as a State.
“Following Armenia’s recognition of a Palestinian state, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Armenian ambassador to Israel for a severe reprimand,” a spokesperson for this ministry said today.
As a retaliation, days before the official recognition of Palestine that took place on May 28, Israel recalled its ambassador in Spain, Rodica Radian-Gordon, as well as its respective ambassadors in Ireland and Norway for consultations.
Palestinian children play at the site of a building destroyed after shelling by the Israeli army.
Photo:AFP
Abbas thanks Armenia for recognizing Palestine
For his part, the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, thanked Armenia this Friday for having recognized Palestine as a State and urged more countries, especially European ones, to do the same based on the borders prior to the 1967 war, which includes Gaza, the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem as the capital.
“Armenia’s wise decision aligns with the principles of the two-state solution, a strategic choice that upholds international will and legitimacy”said a statement from the Presidency, released by the official Palestinian agency Wafa.
For his part, Hussein al Sheikh, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), also expressed his “satisfaction” with the recognition.
“It is a victory for law, justice, legitimacy and the struggle of our Palestinian people for liberation and independence,” he told Sheikh in X. “Thank you our friend Armenia.”
What countries recognize Palestine?
Armenia expanded to 145 the number of countries that have recognized the Palestinian state.
In recent months, Coinciding with the Israeli military intervention in Gaza after the attacks carried out by Hamas in Israel last October, nine countries have recognized the Palestinian State.
The first was Barbados, on April 21, 2024, three days later Jamaica did it, on May 3 it was the turn of Trinidad and Tobago and on May 8 that of the Bahamas. Then came the recognition of Spain, Ireland, Norway and Slovenia and this Friday, that of Armenia.
In total, there are 145 countries, of the 193 that are part of the United Nations (UN), that currently recognize the Palestinian State.
A dozen of them are European Union (EU) countries. Before the four already mentioned, the last EU state to recognize Palestine had been Sweden, on October 30, 2014. Three years before, on January 30, 2011, Cyprus had done so..
The other six EU countries that have recognized the Palestinian State are the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland and Romania, and all of them did so days after the Palestinian National Council proclaimed in Algiers on November 15, 1988 the establishment of the State of Palestine, while accepting resolutions 242 and 338 of the UN Security Council, which meant recognizing Israel’s right to exist.
Bogotá October 21, 2023. Supporters and the Palestinian community held a peaceful demonstration from the Palestinian embassy to the Plaza de Bolívar to call for the end of the war and the arrival of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians of Gaza. Photo: Sergio Acero Yate / El Tiempo
Photo:Sergio Acero. Time
Those six countries then belonged to the Soviet bloc, among them the Czech Republic and Slovakia, then united into a single country, Czechoslovakia.
In the year following its proclamation, The Palestinian State was recognized by 90 countries and in 1995 the number already exceeded one hundred.
Cuba, then also a Soviet ally, and Nicaragua were the first Latin American countries to recognize Palestine as a State, in 1988. Currently 24 Latin American countries recognize it, all except Mexico and Panama. The last to do so was Colombia, on August 8, 2018.
