Slovenia recognizes Palestine state in historical parliament approval

“Today’s recognition of Palestine as a sovereign and independent state sends hope to the Palestinian people in the West Bank and in Gaza,” Prime Minister Robert Golob said in a post on his X account.

The government endorsed a motion to recognize Palestine last week and sent the proposal to parliament for final approval, which was needed for the decision to take effect, reported the Anadolu news agency.

But the ruling coalition, which has a majority in parliament, rejected the proposal and approved the recognition in a unanimous 52 to 0 vote in the 90-seat house. The center-right opposition boycotted the vote.

On May 28, the governments of Ireland, Norway and Spain officially recognized a Palestinian state with Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris saying “I’ve spoken with a number of other leaders and counterparts, and I’m confident that further countries will join us in taking this important step in the coming weeks.”

Tel Aviv reacted angrily to the announcements and immediately recalled its ambassadors from Ireland and Norway for consultations.

Meanwhile, the Knesset approved a draft law prohibiting countries from opening diplomatic missions for Palestinians in Jerusalem, after a number of European countries recently recognized the Palestinian state.

Last month, 143 of the 193 members of the United Nations General Assembly also voted in favor of a Palestinian bid to become a full member of the UN.