Clarion India
YEREVAN – Armenia has announced that it has officially recognised the state of Palestine. “Reaffirming its commitment to international law and the principles of equality, sovereignty and peaceful coexistence of peoples, the Republic of Armenia recognizes the State of Palestine,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday.
According to TRT World, the ministry said Armenia earlier supported the UN General Assembly resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, where Israel has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians since last October.
It also condemned Israeli attacks on civilian infrastructure and violence against the civilian population.
Shortly after the former Soviet republic announced the recognition, Israel’s foreign ministry summoned Yerevan’s ambassador.
“Following Armenia’s recognition of a Palestinian state, the foreign ministry summoned the Armenian ambassador in Israel for a severe reprimand,” it said in a statement.
A senior official from the Palestinian Authority, Hussein Al-Sheikh, meanwhile, welcomed the move.
“This is a victory for right, justice, legitimacy and the struggle of our Palestinian people for liberation and independence,” Al-Sheikh said on social media.
“Thank you our friend Armenia.”
Strong symbolic impact
The Armenian move comes a month after Spain, Ireland and Norway formally recognised the state of Palestine.
“Recognition of the State of Palestine is not only a matter of historical justice. It is also an essential requirement if we are all to achieve peace,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said last month.
The three European countries believe their initiative has a strong symbolic impact, likely encouraging others to follow suit.
“It is the only way to move towards the solution that we all recognise as the only possible way to achieve a peaceful future that of a Palestinian state living side-by-side with the state of Israel in peace and security.”
Israel was enraged and rushed to condemn the Western states’ move, recalling its ambassadors to those nations.
Seven other European countries, including Sweden, have already recognised Palestinian statehood.
Many countries around the world and international bodies have hailed the trio for recognising the Palestinian state.
