Slovenia recognizes Palestinian statehood, flies Palestinian flag joining Ireland, Norway and Spain move this week

European leaders reportedly set begin international campaign to pressure Israel

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Slovenia’s government recognized Palestinian statehood on Thursday, following the formal recognition of a Palestinian state by the countries of Ireland, Norway and Spain earlier this week.

“The government has made a decision to recognize the State of Palestine as an independent and sovereign state within the borders from 1967, or the borders that the parties involved should agree on in a future peace agreement,” Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob stated at a press conference in Ljubljana after a government session on Thursday.

Slovenia previously said that it would recognize Palestinian statehood by mid-June, but Golob pushed the issue to the front of the government’s agenda due to “recent developments in Rafah.”

The Slovenian prime minister noted that its decision was not a hostile move against Israel.

“The message of recognition is not directed against anyone,” Golob said, “It is a message of peace. We believe that today the moment has come when we all – the whole world – must act ... in a manner that brings lasting peace in the Middle East.”

The Slovenian government’s recognition of a Palestinian state is pending approval in the Slovenian parliament. According to Euronews, “this is considered a mere formality as none of the parliamentary parties in the 90-seat National Assembly are expected to oppose the motion.”

The Palestinian flag was raised in front of the government building in Ljubljana alongside the flags of Slovenia and the European Union to mark the recognition.

Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon noted the ongoing efforts by EU countries to pressure Israel to end the war and agree to a two-state solution by having more nations recognize Palestinian statehood.

“The recognition of Palestine is the only way for the two countries and peoples to coexist in peace. The number of like-minded European countries is growing, which is a clear sign that the EU is assuming a more active role in the resolution of this conflict,” the foreign minister said.

Israel condemned Slovenia’s move. Foreign Minister Israel Katz posted on 𝕏 that it only serves to reward Hamas for its aggression.

“The Slovenian government's decision to recommend that the Slovenian Parliament recognize a Palestinian state rewards Hamas for murder, rape, mutilation of bodies, beheading of babies, saying that it “rewards Hamas for murder, rape, mutilation of bodies, beheading of babies, and strengthens the Iranian axis of evil while damaging the close friendship between the Slovenian and Israeli people. I hope the Slovenian Parliament rejects this recommendation,” Katz wrote.

On Monday, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa met with European leaders in Brussels, Belgium where he reportedly discussed “how to join forces to achieve a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister Hadja Lahbib (MR), Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and other representatives of Arab, European and EU countries.”

After meeting with Mustafa, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said that Belgium is working on gathering “a large group of European countries to start a process for the recognition of a Palestinian State.”

Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel stated that it will wait until more nations declare their support for a Palestinian state. He said European countries are planning to pressure Israel into accepting a Palestinian state by starting “an international movement of recognition, including Asian and Latin American countries, to get more impact.”

“This could have more impact, so I prefer to wait a bit more,” Bettel said.

“We will do it, we will do it, because Palestine has the right to be recognized. But I think the best moment –and it’s not the condition of having 10 or 15 (countries), but to have something international – (is when) maybe the Israelis will realize that it is not only one or two European countries, but it is the world who considers that Palestine has a right. That’s different.”