Spain Officially Recognizes Palestine Today

Ireland and Norway are also set to make official announcements regarding recognition of Palestinians state today.

MADRID: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-May 28^th, 2024) Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has officially announced Spain's recognition of a Palestinian state that includes the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, unified under the Palestinian National Authority, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

In a televised address, Sánchez affirmed that Spain would not accept any changes to the Palestinian borders post-1967 unless all parties involved agree to them. He highlighted that recognizing a Palestinian state is "essential for reaching peace" in the middle East.

This decision, initially announced before parliament last week, comes after months of Sánchez visiting European and Middle Eastern countries to build support for the recognition and to advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Ireland and Norway are also set to recognize a Palestinian state today, a move criticized by Israel as a "reward" for Hamas amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The three European nations believe this decision will have significant symbolic value and could inspire other countries to take similar actions.

Spain and Norway's involvement in Israel-Palestinian peace efforts dates back to the 1991 Madrid peace conference, which led to the 1993 Oslo Accords, underscoring their longstanding commitment to the peace process.

On the other hand, Canada announced plans to issue temporary visas to 5,000 Gaza residents through a special program for relatives of Canadian citizens living in the war-torn area.

This is an increase from the 1,000 visas initially offered under a similar program launched in December. The immigration ministry noted a significant interest in the visas.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller emphasized the importance of this measure, stating, "While movement out of Gaza is not currently possible, the situation may change at any time. With this cap increase, we will be ready to help more people as the situation evolves."