Several EU member states considering jointly recognizing Palestinian state on May 21: Report

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – Several member states of the European Union are considering to jointly recognize the state of Palestine on May 21, Irish media reported Wednesday.

Public broadcaster RTE said Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and Malta have recently intensified contacts with a view to jointly recognizing Palestinian statehood on that day.

In a joint statement on March 22, former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar and his Spanish, Maltese and Slovenian counterparts said they had discussed their "readiness to recognize Palestine and said that we would do so when it can make a positive contribution and the circumstances are right.”

On May 6, Taoiseach Simon Harris spoke to his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez, which a government spokesperson called "a good and thorough call" regarding the "grave situation in the Middle East.”

Tanaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Micheal Martin said during a meeting of his Green Party that Ireland will intervene in the genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) soon after South Africa has filed its substantive case, which he expects to happen by October, according to the broadcaster.

He also noted that Ireland is pushing the European Commission for a response to a letter sent by Ireland and Spain seeking a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip in retaliation for an Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian group Hamas which killed about 1,200 people.

More than 34,800 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, mostly women and children, and 78,100 others injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Over seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85% of the enclave’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January said it is "plausible" that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and ordered Tel Aviv to stop such acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians.