Spain Follows Sweden in Recognizing Palestine as a Sovereign State, Moving Towards Full International Recognition

In recent years, the Palestinian people have made significant strides towards gaining international recognition as a sovereign state. With the support of a majority of countries worldwide, including 137 out of 193 UN states, the Palestinians have been recognized as a state by many nations. However, there are still some countries that have not acknowledged Palestine as a state, including those in Western Europe, North America, Australia, Japan, and South Korea.

In an effort to accelerate the recognition process, the Spanish Prime Minister has expressed his desire for Spain to formally recognize a Palestinian state by summer. This move follows in the footsteps of Sweden, which was the first EU country to recognize Palestine in 2014. Since then, several other European nations have followed suit, creating tensions with Israel and leading to stormy relations.

The declaration of a Palestinian state in 1988 by Yasser Arafat was initially met with support from countries such as China, India, Turkey, and Arab nations. Over time, more countries in Africa, the Soviet bloc, Central America, and Latin America recognized Palestine. The Palestinians gained observer state status at the UN in 2012, granting them access to international organizations like UNESCO and the International Criminal Court. These developments have been met with criticism from countries like the US and Israel.

Despite challenges and criticisms from certain countries like the US and Israel, the Palestinians continue to pursue international recognition and support for their statehood aspirations. As more countries come on board to recognize Palestine as a sovereign state