Ramallah: Palestine hailed on Sunday the official recognition of its statehood by several countries ahead of the UN General Assembly meetings, saying the move would protect the two-state solution and achieve peace.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry expressed gratitude to the UK, Canada, and Australia for their ‘courageous decisions’ to officially recognize the state of Palestine, aligning with international law and legitimate UN resolutions. The ministry described the recognition as an acknowledgment of the just and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, ensuring the protection of the two-state solution from the continued crimes committed by Israel, including genocide, starvation, displacement, and annexation.
President Mahmoud Abbas also welcomed the Western recognition of statehood, deeming it ‘a crucial and necessary step on the path to achieving just and lasting peace, in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions.’ Abbas emphasized that recognizing the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, freedom, and independence would pave the way for implementing the two-state solution.
Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh expressed gratitude to the three countries for their recognition, which he termed ‘an international victory for justice, rights, and for those who suffer displacement and oppression.’ He marked it as a historic day for the Palestinian people, attributing it to their patience, steadfastness, perseverance, and sacrifices.
The Palestinian group Hamas viewed this recognition as ‘an important step in affirming the right of the Palestinian people in their land and holy sites, and in establishing their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.’ Hamas urged for practical measures to stop the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip and counteract the annexation and Judaization plans in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
UN investigators recently concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, where nearly 65,300 people have been killed since October 2023. Around three-quarters of UN member states already recognize Palestine, with Ireland, Spain, and Norway having formalized recognition last year.
