MADRID (Dispatches) – Spain, 
Ireland and Norway formally recognized a Palestinian state on Tuesday in a coordinated decision, more than seven months into the devastating Israeli war on Gaza. 
The three European countries believe their initiative has strong symbolic impact that could encourage others to follow suit.
After Ireland’s government formally approved the measure, Prime Minister Simon Harris said the aim was to keep Middle East peace hopes alive.
“We had wanted to recognize Palestine at the end of a peace process. However, we have made this move alongside Spain and Norway to keep the miracle of peace alive,” he said in a statement, urging the Zionist regime of Israel to “stop the humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza.
Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide hailed the move as “a special day for Norway-Palestine relations”.
And after Spain’s cabinet backed recognition, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said “we know that there is still a long way to go, and Spain is willing to walk its part of the path to peace.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez
said recognition was “essential” for peace. 
The plans were unveiled last week by the three countries, sparking a furious response from the occupying regime of Israel and exacerbating diplomatic tensions, notably with Spain.
Last week, Yolanda Diaz, a far left member of the government, hailed the proposed recognition, saying: “We cannot stop. Palestine will be free from the river to the sea”. Israel’s ambassador in Spain slammed the comments as a “clear call for the elimination of Israel”.
The slogan refers to the British mandate borders of Palestine, which stretched from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea before Israel was fabricated in 1948.
On Tuesday, Spain’s foreign minister said the three countries would give a “calm but firm” joint response to Israel’s social media attacks.
Recognizing Palestinian statehood has provoked sharp disagreement within the 27-nation European Union.
Washington and most Western European nations have claimed they are willing to one day recognize Palestinian statehood, but not before agreement on thorny issues like the status of Al-Quds and final borders.
The Gaza bloodshed has revived calls for Palestinians to be given their own state.
Tuesday’s move will mean 145 of the United Nations’ 193 member states now recognize Palestinian statehood.
In 2014, Sweden became the first EU member to recognize a Palestinian state.
It followed six other European countries that took the step before joining the bloc: Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Romania.