This year, amid Israel’s continuing war on Gaza, nine countries – Armenia, Slovenia, Ireland, Norway, Spain, the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados – formally recognised the State of Palestine, reflecting growing international support.
On November 29, the world observes the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, a day established by the UN in 1977 to emphasise global support for Palestinian rights, including self-determination, independence and a just resolution to the issue of Palestinian refugees.
Recognising Palestine strengthens its global standing, improves its capacity to hold Israeli authorities accountable for the occupation, and pressures Western powers to act on the two-state solution.
Which countries recognise Palestine?
Currently, at least 146 UN member states recognise the State of Palestine, as does the Holy See, the governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City, which holds UN observer status.
These countries are listed in the map and table below:
A brief history of Palestinian recognition
On November 15, 1988, in the early years of the first Intifada, Yasser Arafat, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization, proclaimed Palestine as an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.
Following the announcement, more than 80 countries recognised Palestine as an independent state, with strong support from the Global South, including nations in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Arab world.
Most of the European countries that recognised Palestine during this time did so as part of the former Soviet bloc.
A few years later, on September 13, 1993, the first direct talks between Palestinians and Israelis led to the signing of the Oslo Accords, which were supposed to bring about Palestinian self-determination in the form of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. This was never achieved.
[Al Jazeera]
In the late 80s and early 90s, nearly 20 countries recognised Palestine, followed by 12 more countries between 2000 and 2010 – mostly from across Africa and South America.
By 2011, all African countries, except for Eritrea and Cameroon, recognised Palestine.
In 2012, the General Assembly voted by an overwhelming majority (138 in favour, 9 against, 41 abstentions) to change Palestine’s status to “nonmember observer state”, and in 2014, Sweden became the first country in Western Europe to recognise Palestine.
More European countries recognising Palestine
On May 22, 2024, Norway, Ireland and Spain, in succession, announced that they were recognising Palestine according to the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
In response, Israel recalled its ambassadors from the three European countries and promised to expand illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank as punishment.
On June 4, Slovenia became the latest European country to recognise a Palestinian state.
People carry signs and flags during a demonstration in support of Palestinians, organised by Palestinarekin Elkartasuna (Solidarity With Palestine), in Bilbao, Spain, October 5, 2024 [Vincent West/Reuters]
Other European nations, Malta and Belgium, are discussing whether and when to recognise Palestinian statehood.
None of the G7 countries – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom or the United States – do.
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