This year, amid Israel’s continuing war on Gaza, nine countries – Armenia, Slovenia, Ireland, Norway, Spain, the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados – formally recognised the State of Palestine, reflecting growing international support.On November 29, the world observes the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, a day established by the UN in 1977 to emphasise global support for Palestinian rights, including self-determination, independence and a just resolution to the issue of Palestinian refugees.
Recognising Palestine strengthens its global standing, improves its capacity to hold Israeli authorities accountable for the occupation, and pressures Western powers to act on the two-state solution.
Which countries recognise Palestine?
Currently, at least 146 UN member states recognise the State of Palestine, as does the Holy See, the governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City, which holds UN observer status.
These countries are listed in the map and table below:
A brief history of Palestinian recognition
On November 15, 1988, in the early years of the first Intifada, Yasser Arafat, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization, proclaimed Palestine as an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.
Following the announcement, more than 80 countries recognised Palestine as an independent state, with strong support from the Global South, including nations in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Arab world.
Most of the European countries that recog …