Summary of messages between Israel and Hamas and the situation in Gaza this May 22

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the country's Council of Ministers will recognize an independent Palestinian state during a plenary session of the lower house of the Spanish Parliament in Madrid, Spain on May 22. (Credit: Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters)

The prime ministers of Ireland, Spain and Norway hailed his decision to recognize a Palestinian state as an “important step” towards “peace” in the region.

All three emphasized the role of the Palestinian state in implementing a two-state solution in the Middle East.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told the Spanish parliament that Spain had chosen to “recognize the State of Palestine for peace, harmony and justice”.

Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris told reporters in Dublin that it was a “major step” towards “lasting peace”.

“Recognition is an act of powerful political and symbolic value. It is an expression of our view that Palestine has and can claim all the rights of a state, including self-determination, self-government, territorial integrity and security.” Harris said.

“It's a decision on its merits. But we can't ignore the fact that we're doing it while Palestinians in Gaza are enduring terrible suffering, hardship and hunger. A humanitarian disaster unimaginable and unimaginable to most. Growing in real time.”

While there will be “reactions” and “interpretations” of the implications of the decision, Harris acknowledged that it is important not to “lose sight” of the fact that both the children of Gaza and Israel “deserve peace.”

“There will be no peace in the Middle East until the Palestinians and the Israelis have their own state, and there is a two-state solution,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gerstor told reporters in Oslo.

“There can be no two-state solution without a Palestinian state, in other words, peace in the Middle East requires a Palestinian state,” Storr said.