Context:
Armenia has become the latest country to officially recognise the State of Palestine.
More on the news
- Armenia is in favour of a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
- Armenia supports the United Nations resolution on an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.
- The Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank under Israeli military occupation, has welcomed Armenia’s decision.
What is Two-State Solution?
- It is proposed framework for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by establishing two states for two peoples: Israel for the Jewish people and Palestine for the Palestinian people.
- The two-state solution proposed by the Oslo Accords.
Other Countries who recognised the State of Palestine
- After Armenia’s recognition, 146 out of the 193 UN member states have recognised a Palestinian state.
- Earlier on May 29 Spain, Norway and Ireland formally recognized the state of Palestinian to add international pressure on Israel to soften its devastating response to last year’s Hamas-led attack.
- Algeria was the first country to officially recognise an independent Palestinian state on 15 November 1988.
- In 1988, India became one of the first countries to recognize the Palestinian State.
Earlier in 1974, India was the first Non-Arab State to recognize Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) - In 2014, Sweden, became the first European Union member in western Europe to recognise a Palestinian state.
- Malta and Slovenia have also expressed “readiness” to recognise a Palestinian state when “the circumstances are right”.
Israel’s reaction
- Israel’s foreign ministry summoned the Armenian ambassador ‘for a serious reprimand’ following Armenia’s recognition of a Palestinian state.
Historical Background of the State of Palestine
- On November 15, 1988, during the first Palestinian uprising (Intifada), Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat unilaterally proclaimed an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.