Amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine-based Hamas, Ireland, Spain and Norway have become the latest nations to agree to recognise Palestine as a state, prompting a sharp reaction from Israel.
Palestinian statehood has long been a disputed international issue, and has grabbed the limelight again amid Israel’s war with Hamas, precipitated by the latter’s Oct 7 attacks.
With more states now coming forward to recognise Palestine’s call for statehood, we take a look at the countries that recognise it as a state.
UN member states recognising statehood of Palestine
Out of the current 193 member states of the UN, a total of 143 states stand in solidarity for recognising Palestine as a state. Poland, Sweden and Hungary along with other European nations have sustained their support for recognition of Palestine’s statehood whilst Ireland, Spain and Norway have recently entered this list.
Largely, all the Asian and African nations regard Palestine as a separate state.
India believes in a two-State solution for enduring peace in the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
UN member states disregarding statehood of Palestine
Giant powers of the West including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Germany, among others, do not yet recognise Palestine’s statehood.
In all, 47 member states of the UN do not recognise the claim for statehood of Palestine.
Presently, Palestine’s status quo remains that of a non-member observer state at the UN, which prevents it from voting in the General Assembly or appeal for candidature as a member state of the global body.
(Nikhil Prakash is a BA Journalism Honours student at Christ University who interned with Deccan Herald in summer 2024.)
Published 24 May 2024, 12:12 IST
