Ireland joins Norway, Spain in officially recognizing Palestinian statehood

Ireland officially has recognized a Palestinian state, implementing an intention announced last week along with Norway and Spain.

A statement from the Irish government says the recognition was approved in a cabinet meeting this morning.

“The Government recognises Palestine as a sovereign and independent state and agreed to establish full diplomatic relations between Dublin and Ramallah,” the statement says.

“An Ambassador of Ireland to the State of Palestine will be appointed along with a full Embassy of Ireland in Ramallah.”

Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris says the move is about keeping hope for peace alive.

“This decision of Ireland is about keeping hope alive. It is about believing that a two-state solution is the only way for Israel and Palestine to live side by side in peace and security,” he says in the statement.

“I again call on Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel to listen to the world and stop the humanitarian catastrophe we are seeing in Gaza.”

The war in Gaza erupted after Hamas’s October 7 massacre, which saw some 3,000 terrorists burst across the border into Israel by land, air and sea, killing some 1,200 people and seizing 252 hostages amid acts of brutality and sexual assault.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.