Ireland is poised to officially acknowledge the State of Palestine, according to Micheál Martin, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, during a Dáil debate. Mr. Martin conveyed during Tuesday evening’s forum around the new Cabinet’s selection, after the election of Simon Harris as Taoiseach, that any further delay in acknowledging the Palestinian State is no longer feasible or believable.
He confirmed that talks on the issue have been ongoing with other nations engaged in Gaza’s peace efforts and that it is his plan to put forth a formal recognition proposal to the Government once these broader international deliberations culminate. Mr. Martin unequivocally stated that “recognition will occur.”
Reports suggest that Ireland and several EU nations will declare formal acknowledgment of Palestine as soon as peace efforts, predicted to begin in the forthcoming weeks, are initiated. Precise timing is not yet revealed, but sources have hinted at a timeline of weeks rather than months.
Mr. Martin specified, “For the last six months, I have held continuous discussions with ministers from other countries, discussing how joint formal acknowledgment of Palestinian statehood could be a catalyst in assisting the citizens of Gaza and the West Bank, and furthering an Arab-led peace initiative.” He added that the deterioration of the Oslo Accords, and hence the arrangement to create two separate states, has reached a stage where post-final agreement acknowledgment is not feasible or justifiable anymore.
Allegations of war crimes were also acknowledged and condemned by Mr. Martin, emphasising his condemnation of the sustained bombardments on the Gaza citizens.
Adopting a jab at opposition parties, he said, “Some people think that impassioned speeches and unilateral actions are the panacea to everything – but through laborious direct diplomacy, our agenda of building international coalitions will bring more significant benefits to the Palestinians.”
The official recognition of Palestine has been an ongoing discussion in government circles. Previous ministers have indicated that Ireland does not oppose the idea in principle and would commit to recognition when it has a positive impact on the Middle East peace process. The Gaza conflict has reinvigorated these discussions, and Mr Martin has reportedly been in talks with several other EU administrations over recent months.
Although Mr Martin didn’t provide an explicit timeframe, insider reports suggest that an announcement regarding a multinational effort to bring peace to Gaza may be expected in the coming weeks. Mr Martin has of late engaged in dialogue with the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, along with a set of aligned European Union nations such as Belgium, Malta, and Slovenia.
In the prior EU gathering at Brussels, Leo Varadkar, the ex-Taoiseach, had a meeting with the head of governments of Spain, Malta, and Slovenia. A subsequent statement emphasised their preparedness to acknowledge Palestine, contingent on their belief that it will positively impact the situation and if the conditions are right.