Wave of Western Nations Recognize Palestinian State

On September 22, within the framework of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France also recognizes Palestinian statehood. As expected, the Palestinian issue has become one of the main points on the agenda of the jubilee session of the UN General Assembly. On the same day, Malta also officially recognized the State of Palestine, with its prime minister stating: "We are proud to announce the recognition of the State of Palestine." Malta's example was also followed by a number of other countries: Andorra, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

This diplomatic activity is the result of the joint efforts of France and Saudi Arabia. As early as the end of July, the two countries jointly organized a conference dedicated to a two-state solution at the UN, in which about a hundred delegations participated. The "New York Declaration" adopted as a result of those discussions sets out a roadmap for a stable settlement of the conflict, while at the same time clearly excluding Hamas from the negotiations.

In recent days, the process of recognition of the State of Palestine has entered a new, unprecedented phase, receiving the support of the leading countries of the West. On September 21, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Portugal officially announced the recognition of the State of Palestine, with the aim of reviving the prospect of a "two-state" solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

It should be noted that the current wave of recognition was preceded by the steps of other European countries. In May 2024, Spain, Ireland, and Norway jointly recognized Palestine, the following month they were joined by Slovenia, and later by Armenia and Mexico. Thus, with the latest announcements, the number of UN member states recognizing Palestinian statehood has exceeded 150, making up about 80% of the world community. For comparison, Israel is recognized by 165 of the 193 UN members.

The creation of the State of Palestine was officially announced by the Palestine Liberation Organization on November 15, 1988, in Algiers. Algeria became the first country to recognize the newly created state. Over the years, there have been several waves of recognition, first by the countries of the Arab League and the former USSR, and then by African, Asian, and Latin American states.

Palestine has also taken steps to strengthen its positions in international structures. In 2011, it became a member of UNESCO, and in 2012, it was granted observer state status by the UN General Assembly. Since 2015, Palestine has been a member state of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and also has observer status in the World Health Organization.