Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz has ordered the recall of Israel’s ambassadors from Ireland and Norway after both countries announced their intention to recognize a Palestinian state. Katz condemned the recognition as a reward for terrorism and threatened to recall Israel’s ambassador to Spain if it takes a similar position.
Norway, which is not a member of the European Union but mirrors its moves, has been an ardent supporter of a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. Since the first Oslo agreement was signed in 1993, Norway says the Palestinians have taken important steps towards a two-state solution and have built up national institutions to provide the population with important services.
The move by Norway and Ireland comes as Israeli forces have led assaults on the northern and southern edges of the Gaza Strip in May, causing a new exodus of hundreds of thousands of people, and sharply restricted the flow of aid, raising the risk of famine.
The Scandinavian country “will therefore regard Palestine as an independent state with all the rights and obligations that entails,” Gahr Støre said.
Norway’s recognition of a Palestine state comes more than 30 years after the first Oslo agreement was signed in 1993. Since then, “the Palestinians have taken important steps towards a two-state solution,” the Norwegian government said.
It said that the World Bank determined that Palestine had met key criteria to function as a state in 2011, that national institutions have been built up to provide the population with important services.
“The war in Gaza and the constant expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank still mean that the situation in Palestine is more difficult than it has been in decades,” the Norwegian government said.
