Israel to reprimand Irish, Norwegian, Spanish envoys over Palestine recognition by StuffsEarth

Ireland’s Prime Minister Simon Harris speaks to the media on May 22, 2024, when he said his country would recognise a Palestinian state.
| Photo Credit: AP

Israel will reprimand the ambassadors of Ireland, Norway and Spain on Thursday over their governments’ plan to recognise a Palestinian state next week, an Israeli official said.

The envoys have been summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, where they will be shown a previously unpublished video of Hamas taking female captives during its October 7 attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war, the official said.

Israel has also recalled its own ambassadors in Dublin, Oslo and Madrid for consultations.

The conflict has stoked violence in the occupied West Bank and hardened Israeli opposition to ceding territories where the Palestinians seek statehood. U.S.-sponsored diplomacy on a negotiated two-state accord stalled a decade ago.

Announcing on Wednesday that they would recognise a Palestinian state on May 28, the three European countries said they wanted to help secure a Gaza truce and revive peace talks.

Some other Western powers say recognition of a Palestinian state should follow negotiations.