Ireland to formally recognise the state of Palestine in "next few weeks" says Tánaiste

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin has told the Dáil that he will be bringing forward proposals for the Government to recognise the State of Palestine.

Speaking on Tuesday evening in a debate on the appointment of the new Cabinet, Mr Martin said that the approach of delaying recognition “is not credible or tenable any longer”.

It is believed that Ireland is not the only EU country to recognise the State of Palestine as Mr Martin has recently been in discussions with “like-minded EU countries”, including Slovenia, Malta and Belgium.

The Cork South Central TD said that "For the past six months I have maintained ongoing discussions with ministerial colleagues in other countries about how a joint formal recognition of Palestinian statehood could be a catalyst to help the people of Gaza and the West Bank and in furthering an Arab led peace initiative.”

"We’ve agreed that the undermining of the Oslo Accords and therefore the agreement to create two states has reached the point where the Accords’ approach of recognition after a final agreement is not credible or tenable any longer".

“I’ve discussed this with those in the region who are working on peace initiatives, and coordination with other countries continues to intensify".

Martin added: “It is my intention to bring to Government a formal proposal on recognition when these wider international discussions are complete.

“But be in no doubt recognition of a Palestinian State will happen.”

Martin is due to speak with the Spanish Prime Minister today regarding progressing work on the recognition.

In March, then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar released a joint statement with Malta, Slovenia and Spain saying that the countries had “discussed together our readiness to recognise Palestine and said that we would do so when it can make a positive contribution and the circumstances are right”.

“We are agreed that the only way to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region is through implementation of a two-state solution, with Israeli and Palestinian States living side-by-side, in peace and security.

Speaking today on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland, The Palestinian Mission Ambassador to Ireland Dr Jilian Wahba Abdalmajid welcomed the comments made by the Tánaiste and urged that such recognition would happen soon.

Dr Wahba Abdalmajid, said that Ireland had always stood on the right side of history, justice, humanity and international law, so she had expected that Ireland would lead in the recognition of the State of Palestine.

“I hope that this recognition by Ireland will be a reality soon and Ireland will lead other EU states to follow suit.”

However, when asked whether Ireland should have moved to recognise Palestine a long time ago, the ambassador said: "Yes."

The ambassador said that Palestinians deserved such recognition since the partition of 1947.

"[To give recognition] is not helping the Palestinians - it's something that they have the right to".