Pedro Sánchez has set a date for Spain to officially recognize the State of Palestine, which will be on Tuesday, May 28th. Spain, like many other countries in Western Europe, had not previously taken this step, although most of the world’s states, excluding major powers, have already done so. The act of official recognition, which falls under the Executive’s authority according to the Constitution, has more symbolic implications than practical or legal implications, according to experts. The recognition of another state is a decision that typically falls within the power of the Executive, either explicitly through an official declaration or implicitly through acts that establish diplomatic relations. In Spain, the government is responsible for officially recognizing another state, as stated in the Constitution. The Parliament can urge the government to take this step, as it did in 2014 with a motion by the PSOE party.
The recognition of Palestine as a state is mainly a political and symbolic decision rather than a legal one, as Spain already maintains relations with the Palestinian National Authority and grants them diplomatic immunities. Spain will not open an embassy in Ramallah, the de facto capital of Palestine, but will instead be represented by the Consul General in Jerusalem. The Consulate General also serves as a consular office for the entire city of Jerusalem and the two Palestinian territories, the West Bank and Gaza. Additionally, Spain already has a Technical Cooperation Office in Jerusalem. On the Palestinian side, there is an office of the Palestinian National Authority in Madrid, with diplomatic status, which is considered the “Embassy of Palestine in Spain”.
The decision to recognize Palestine has widespread support among the Spanish population, with 78% of respondents in favor of European countries officially recognizing Palestine, according to a survey by the Elcano Royal Institute. This support is particularly strong among those who identify as left-wing and have higher levels of education, but it is also present across all demographic groups surveyed. Furthermore, 60% of respondents support the two-state solution, an increase of 20 percentage points since the previous year. The majority of countries in the world have already recognized Palestine as a state, including 142 members of the United Nations and the Holy See.
In response to the announcements of recognition, Israel has expressed opposition, with the Foreign Minister stating that recognizing Palestine would reward terrorism and jeopardize the prospects for peace. The United States is a major power that does not recognize Palestine as a state, and other countries such as Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Japan also do not officially recognize Palestine. However, there is a growing trend towards recognition, with Ireland, Belgium, and Slovenia expected to follow Spain’s lead. Israel, despite not being universally recognized, maintains diplomatic relations with the majority of the international community, with 163 of the 193 members of the United Nations recognizing the State of Israel.
