The recognition of Palestine is undermined by support for harmful policies

On May 28, Ireland, Norway, and Spain announced they are formally recognising Palestine as a state. The move was welcomed by Palestinians and condemned by the Israeli government, which responded by withdrawing its ambassadors from all three nations and snubbing their envoys.

While recognition of Palestine as a state is mostly a symbolic gesture, it may add to the wave of unprecedented diplomatic pressure currently being exerted upon Israel over its brutal assault on Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

But there are also reasons to be sceptical about the extent to which this move will actually help Palestinians.

As Palestinian-American scholar Noura Erakat has cogently argued, the joint Irish, Spanish, and Norwegian gesture is “too little, too late”.

The announcement has come nearly eight months into the genocide in Gaza at a time when Palestinians need much more than symbolism.

When Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the European Union and United States imposed thousands of sanctions against Russian politicians, businesses, and banks. The sanctions included technology bans, travel restrictions, and asset freezes, among other things.

There is much more that could be done to address Israel’s atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank.

Why, for instance, have Norway, Spain, and the Republic of Ireland not pushed hard for ostracising Israel at the United Nations?

Why have Spain and Ireland not pushed for an EU arms embargo against Israel?

And why have they not proposed that the EU impose a wider set of economic sanctions on Israeli companies, institutions and leaders?