Norway recognizes Palestine as a state

OSLO - The Norwegian government is formally recognizing Palestine as a state, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store announced here on Wednesday.

Speaking at a press conference, Store said Norway supports granting Palestine full membership status in the United Nations.

"Norway's formal recognition of Palestine as a state will enter into force on May 28. There will be no peace in the Middle East without a two-state solution. And there can be no two-state solution without a Palestinian state. In other words, a Palestinian state is a prerequisite for achieving peace in the Middle East," said Store.

He further explained that the territorial demarcation between Palestine and Israel should be based on the pre-1967 borders, with Jerusalem serving as the capital for both states. This stance is without prejudice to a final settlement on borders, which may include land swaps.

Store emphasized that the current timing for recognizing Palestine as a state is critical. "The ongoing war in Gaza has made it abundantly clear that achieving peace and stability must be predicated on resolving the Palestinian question. The war is the lowest point in the prolonged Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The situation in the Middle East has not been this grave for many years," he said.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide highlighted the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza. "What is most urgent at the moment is to achieve a ceasefire, ensure that enough humanitarian aid reaches the people of Gaza, and obtain the release of the hostages," he said.

Eide also expressed his hope that recognizing Palestine as a state will foster renewed peace talks. "In the longer term, we hope that the recognition of Palestine as a state will encourage the parties to restart peace talks aimed at resolving the outstanding final status issues. A Palestinian state will also enhance security for the Israelis," he added.

Eide said that Norway is collaborating closely with Saudi Arabia and actively working to mobilize European support for the Arab peace vision. Recently, Norway and Saudi Arabia hosted a high-level meeting of foreign ministers in Riyadh to discuss this initiative. In a few days, Norway will chair an international partner meeting about Palestine in Brussels. "We are hoping to make significant progress there," he said.

Norway's recognition comes over 30 years after the signing of the first Oslo Accord in 1993. Since then, Palestinians have made significant strides towards a two-state solution. In 2011, the World Bank concluded that Palestine had met the key criteria required to function as a state, with national institutions established to provide essential services to the population.

However, the conflict in Gaza and the ongoing expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank have made the situation in Palestine more challenging than it has been in decades.