Hamas has welcomed the announcement of Norway, Ireland, and Spain recognizing the state of Palestine, considering it a “turning point” on the Palestinian issue and an important step towards solidifying Palestinians’ right to their land and establishing independent Palestinian state with its capital of Jerusalem.
In a statement, Hamas said, “we call on countries around the world to recognize our legitimate national rights and to support our people’s struggle for liberation, independence, and an end to Zionist occupation of our land.”
The Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), Hussein al-Sheikh, has expressed gratitude following the of recognizing Palestinian statehood.
“Historical moments in which the free world triumphs for truth and justice after long decades of Palestinian national struggle, suffering, pain, occupation, racism, murder, oppression, abuse, and destruction to which the people of Palestine were subjected,” he said on X.
However, the decisions to recognize Palestine has caused a violent shock and outright rejection inside ‘Israel’.
Israeli far-right Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have announced sanctions against the Palestinian Authority for its “unilateral steps, informing Prime Minister Netanyahu that he would withhold Palestinian tax revenues and refrain from transferring them to the Palestinian Authority until “further notice.”
Ben Gvir, backed by heavily armed Israeli forces, stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem in response to Spain, Ireland and Norway’s recognition of Palestine as an independent state, provocatively saying Jerusalem site “belongs only to the state of Israel”.
Smotrich has officially demanded that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu approve multiple punitive measures against Palestinians, including the construction of 10,000 illegal housing unit within settlements on stolen Palestinian lands in the West Bank.
He also called for “Retaliatory actions” against countries that recognized Palestine and initiating a new Israeli settlement for each country that did.
Recognizing the state of Palestine came amid Israel’s unprecedented war on Gaza, which has led to the killing of 35,709 Palestinians and 79,990 injuries since October 7.
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