French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to formally recognise a Palestinian state later this year has sparked mixed reactions. While the US and Israel condemned Macron’s move, many countries, including Saudi Arabia, Spain, and Jordan, have hailed French President Macron’s decision to recognise the Palestinian state.
With France joining the bandwagon, the number of countries that formally recognise the Palestinian state will touch 148.
Currently, 147 of 193 member states of the United Nations, which is 75 per cent of countries, recognise the Palestinian state, including India. In 1988, India became one of the first countries to recognise the Palestinian State.
Almost all Middle Eastern, African, and Asian countries recognise Palestinian statehood. After the Israel-Hamas war broke out in 2023, a group of UN experts called on all United Nations member states to recognise the State of Palestine. Soon after then, nine countries — Armenia, Slovenia, Ireland, Norway, Spain, the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados — formally recognised the State of Palestine.
European countries Spain, Ireland, and Norway formally recognised a Palestinian state in 2024. But, Slovenia, Malta and Belgium are yet to recognise Palestinian statehood though all three of them hinted that they soon would. However, Belgium’s government appears to have cooled on the idea ahead of elections.
Australia, the United States, Canada, Japan and South Korea also do not recognise the state.