Recognition of Palestine: Arab and European nations advocate for Palestinian statehood and UN membership

Report by Ahmad Abdallah, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Spain, Ireland, and Norway have announced their full recognition of the State of Palestine, joining eight other European countries—Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, South Cyprus, and Sweden—that have already done so. This move is currently being considered by several other European nations, including Slovenia and Malta.

The timing of this recognition aligns with the final statement from the Arab Summit in Bahrain, which called on Arab nations to mobilize diplomatic missions in Western countries to garner international support for the full recognition of Palestine and its full membership in the United Nations. 

Currently, Palestine holds the status of a non-member observer state at the UN.

The recent General Assembly resolution, adopted on May 10, reaffirms that Palestine is qualified for UN membership and should be admitted as a full member. This resolution forms part of a broader solution to the Palestinian cause, as outlined in the Arab Summit's declaration.

The declaration from the Bahrain Summit presents a unified Arab vision for a comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian conflict, which includes deploying international forces in the occupied Palestinian territories—specifically the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem—as an initial step toward a sustainable two-state solution.

The proposal suggests deploying UN forces similar to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which operates along the Blue Line between southern Lebanon and northern Israel. This plan requires approval from the UN Security Council, which is responsible for authorizing and defining the mission of such peacekeeping forces.

These peacekeeping forces, known for their distinctive blue helmets symbolizing peace, comprise global volunteers, including civilians, soldiers, police officers, and military officials dedicated to peacekeeping and assisting nations plagued by conflict. If agreed upon, these forces would remain in the occupied Palestinian territories until a political resolution, as proposed by the initiative, is achieved.

The comprehensive plan, endorsed by all 22 member states of the Arab League present at the Bahrain Summit, advocates for a two-state solution and suggests convening an international conference under UN auspices to resolve the Palestinian issue. This approach has gained support from many countries worldwide, particularly in light of international criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza.

This unified Arab proposal, in collaboration with the Palestinian administration, aims to bring about a new, more peaceful phase in the region.