According to an announcement published on the official website of the Norwegian government, Norway has made the decision to officially recognise Palestine as a sovereign state.
“The Norwegian Government has decided that Norway will recognize Palestine as a state. In the midst of a war, with tens of thousands killed and injured, we must keep alive the only alternative that offers a political solution for Israelis and Palestinians alike: Two states, living side by side, in peace and security,” the statement quotes Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store as saying.
He also stressed that “recognition of Palestine is a means of supporting the moderate forces which have been losing ground in this protracted and brutal conflict.”
“Norway’s formal recognition of Palestine as a state will enter into force on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. A number of other like-minded European countries will also formally recognise Palestine on that same date. These countries will be making their own announcements,” the statement adds.
In late April, Josep Borrell, the prominent EU diplomat, announced that a number of European Union nations would extend recognition to the Palestinian state prior to the conclusion of May. Presently, the State of Palestine holds the status of a sovereign state, acknowledged by 143 out of the 193 member states of the United Nations, which includes Russia. Among the EU countries, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Sweden have already granted recognition to the Palestinian state.