Ireland recognises State of Palestine
Ireland has officially acknowledged the existence of Palestine as a sovereign state.
From yesterday onwards, the government of Ireland acknowledges Palestine as an autonomous and self-governing nation, and has consented to establish comprehensive diplomatic ties between Dublin and Ramallah.
In general, Palestine has received recognition as an independent state from 145 out of 193 countries that are part of the United Nations. Close to 50 percent of European nations, such as Norway and Spain, have also acknowledged Palestine's statehood, with Ireland joining in on the recognition.
After what happened yesterday, Ireland is going to assign an envoy to Palestine and also set up a complete Irish embassy in Ramallah.
The leader of Ireland, Simon Harris, stated that the choice made by the country is intended to preserve a positive outlook for the future. This decision is founded on the belief that the only viable solution for maintaining peace and safety in the region is for Israel and Palestine to exist as two separate states, able to coexist harmoniously together.
Our initial plan was to acknowledge Palestine once a peace agreement had been established. Nevertheless, we have joined forces with Spain and Norway to uphold the possibility of a peaceful resolution. I would like to emphasise, once again, the urgency for Prime Minister Netanyahu to heed the international community's call and put an end to the grave humanitarian situation unfolding in Gaza.
The Tánaiste, Micheál Martin, has expressed that the government's decision today reflects their belief that there is only one way to put an end to the vicious cycle of hardship, oppression, inhumane treatment, violence, and loss of life that has negatively impacted the lives of both Israelis and Palestinians for many years. This path involves taking political action.
The chances of having long-term peace are currently in great danger, therefore it is extremely important that we take action immediately with other countries who share our beliefs. Our objective is to maintain the possibility of a two-state resolution and ensure that both the Palestinians and Israelis have the same rights to safety, peace, self-determination, and respect.
The head of the Green Party, Eamon Ryan, stated that the requests of the people of Palestine are not unreasonable or excessive. In fact, they are quite humble. They simply desire to be acknowledged as a nation like any other, to govern their own matters, and to express themselves to the international community. Today, Ireland has decided to acknowledge and support this desire.
We want to emphasize that Ireland clearly acknowledges and accepts Israel's right to exist. We firmly believe that the creation of a Palestinian nation can actually reinforce the presence of Israel by providing an opportunity for it to flourish peacefully alongside its neighboring countries.
