On Wednesday, three European countries—Ireland, Norway, and Spain—announced their decision to officially recognize a Palestinian state alongside Israel. The decision is set to go into effect on May 28.
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00:00Three European countries – Spain, Norway and Ireland – have recognized an independent
00:05Palestinian state.
00:07This decision has no immediate impact on the ground.
00:10Israel still controls the territories sought by the Palestinians – the occupied West
00:14Bank, East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip – but it is an important reflection of international
00:19sentiment and Israel's growing isolation as the war in Gaza grinds on.
00:26Over 120 countries already have recognized the Palestinians' independence.
00:31What's significant today, though, is that these are European countries – that's
00:34a region of the world where Israel traditionally has had strong diplomatic ties.
00:41The Palestinians, obviously, are welcoming this move.
00:44They say that any show of support helps push them closer toward their dream of establishing
00:49an independent state.
00:50Israel, on the other hand, is furious.
00:52The Israeli government opposes Palestinian independence.
00:56It says moves like this undermine future negotiations and also amount to a reward
01:02for Hamas's attack on October 7th that triggered the war.
01:08Israel has responded by recalling its ambassadors from the three countries.
01:12It also has imposed new economic sanctions on the Palestinians.
01:15It's cutting off financial transfers to the Palestinian Authority.
01:19That will deepen an economic crisis in the West Bank and make it harder for the Palestinian
01:24Authority to pay its thousands of employees.