Palestinian state recognition by European countries a “courageous decision,” PA says

On Sunday, the prime minister of the Palestinian Authority praised the "courageous decision" taken by Spain, Ireland and Norway to recognize the Palestinian state last week. Mohammad Mustafa, who was in Brussels to attend a meeting with international donors, said he was grateful that the three had effectively joined 143 other countries that backed a Palestinian bid to become a full United Nations (UN) members in a resolution earlier in May. “Gaza has been going through a very difficult, very alarming situation with the humanitarian losses we see increasing every day, but also the physical damages that will make our job of rebuilding much more demanding. Having said all of that, we're still hopeful as Palestinians that the many decades of struggle and working towards independence are coming closer than ever before,” Mustafa said. Speaking alongside Mustafa during a news conference, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stressed the importance of returning to the political process and gathering "international initiative" to achieve a two-state solution. Meanwhile, Norway's foreign minister Espen Barth Eide also expressed support for the two-state solution, stressing there was "no alternative in the long run" and called on a ceasefire in Gaza. On Thursday, Israel reprimanded the ambassadors of Ireland, Norway and Spain over their governments' announcements, scorning the initiative as a bid to "resurrect... old, failed policies." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denounced the announcements and has called plans for recognition of a Palestinian state a "prize for terrorism." For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca/news/10516759/palestinian-state-recognition-norway-ireland-spain/ Subscribe to Global News Channel HERE: http://bit.ly/20fcXDc Like Global News on Facebook HERE: http://bit.ly/255GMJQ Follow Global News on X HERE: http://bit.ly/1Toz8mt Follow Global News on Instagram HERE: https://bit.ly/2QZaZIB #GlobalNews #Israel #Gaza