THE UK Government is facing renewed calls to recognise Palestinian statehood after Ireland, Norway and Spain all announced plans to do so.
Speaking on Wednesday morning, Irish premier Simon Harris said his country was making the move because “we believe in freedom and justice as fundamental principles of international law”.
Norwegian leader Jonas Gahr Støre (below) and Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez also announced their plans to recognise Palestine as a state on Wednesday.
At present, the UK and the US do not formally recognise Palestinian statehood but they are facing renewed calls to take action.
The SNP have already called for the UK to recognise the state of Palestine “without further delay”.
Brendan O’Hara, the party’s foreign affairs spokesperson, commented: “For far too long, Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer have refused to recognise Palestine and made feeble excuses as the government of Israel collectively punishes the people of Gaza.
“Thousands of innocent Palestinian children, women and men have been killed and huge swathes of Gaza have been obliterated.
“The Tories and Labour Party must finally join the SNP in recognising the state of Palestine, halting arms sales, and calling for an immediate ceasefire to end the collective punishment of people in Gaza.”
Writing on Twitter/X, Palestinian ambassador to the UK Husam Zomlot said: “History is being made. Thank you Ireland, Norway and Spain for recognising our inalienable right to self-determination and our distinct national identity.
History is being made. Thank you Ireland, Norway and Spain for recognising our inalienable right to self-determination and our distinct national identity. This will move us closer to justice and a sustainable peace. We urge the few remaining countries in the world, especially the… pic.twitter.com/VqTEp7Q2vW
— Husam Zomlot (@hzomlot) May 22, 2024
“This will move us closer to justice and a sustainable peace. We urge the few remaining countries in the world, especially the UK, with its historic responsibility, to follow suit and provide a long overdue path out from occupation, colonisation, oppression and apartheid to equality under law and accountability.”
Elsewhere, former first minister Humza Yousaf (below) praised the actions of the three governments and said on social media: “It is time other governments stopped paying mere lip-service to a two-state solution.
“The UK Government must now officially recognise the state of Palestine.”
Foreign Secretary David Cameron has previously suggested the Government, alongside its allies, could “look at the issue of recognising a Palestinian state, including at the United Nations”.
