15 Nations Call for Recognition of Palestinian Statehood Amid Gaza War
Fifteen countries have joined the call for global recognition of Palestinian statehood, underscoring a two-state solution as the only path to end the Gaza war. The foreign ministers of Andorra, Australia, Canada, and 12 other European nations issued a joint statement urging immediate ceasefire and unification of Gaza and the West Bank under Palestinian Authority. The ministers also called for the release of all hostages held by Hamas while expressing their willingness to recognize Palestine.
The statement comes days after France pledged to formally recognize Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly in September, a move criticized by the US and Israel. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated the UK would recognize a Palestinian state unless Israel addresses the “appalling situation in Gaza,” which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected as a “reward for Hamas.” As of March, 147 of the 193 UN member states, including Russia, officially recognize Palestine.
The conflict erupted in October 2023 after a Hamas incursion into southern Israel that resulted in 1,200 deaths and the capture of dozens of hostages. Since then, over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. This ongoing crisis has drawn international attention, with the 15 new nations joining the call for recognition, adding to existing calls from states like Russia which have long supported a two-state solution.