Ireland upgrades status of Palestinian mission to embassy
Palestinian delegation in Ireland will be upgraded to an official embassy, following France and Spain; U.K., Sweden, Belgium, Finland, Germany and Denmark expected to follow.
By Barak Ravid Tags: Israel news Ireland Palestinians Middle East peaceThe Irish government announced on Tuesday the decision to upgrade the Palestinian diplomatic status in the country to the status of an official embassy, joining a growing list of European countries that have made the same diplomatic move, including France and Spain.
Last month the Foreign Ministry ordered every Israeli envoy abroad to begin "urgent" diplomatic activity after reports reached Jerusalem that the Palestinian Authority was trying to persuade about a dozen European Union member states to upgrade the PA's diplomatic status.
 |
Palestinian protestors waving Palestinian flags during a demonstration in the Gaza Strip on April 21, 2010. |
| Photo by: AP |
The Israeli assessment is that Britain, Sweden, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Denmark, Malta, Luxembourg, Austria and perhaps other states are considering a similar move.
In response to the announcement, the Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that Israel expressed regret over Ireland's decision, adding that "we are not surprised by this move in light of the Ireland's longstanding slanted policy with regards to the Israel-Palestinian conflict."
"The Irish move does not help the peace process, as it strengthens the Palestinian illusion that the Palestinians can advance their interests without returning to the negotiations table,'" the Foreign Ministry statement read.
Meanwhile, Peru on Monday announced that it had recognized a Palestinian state, joining a growing number of Latin American countries in making an endorsement the United States has called premature.
Israel has warned that declarations by Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Bolivia, Ecuador and Guyana could undermine the Middle East peace process.
Why Facebook Connect?
Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.
- Latest
- Most Viewed
- Most Rated
- Open all
The above report appears to be incorrect. According to Irish state TV (RTÉ), the Irish government "has decided to upgrade the status of the Palestinian diplomatic delegation in Ireland to a mission - a rank below an embassy".
Damn Micks!. I will not be celebrating St. Patrick's Day this year!. No more green beer for me!.
It's about time Israel begins to see the writing on the wall. It should make a decent peace agreement with the Palestinians as according to the Geneva accords before time runs out.
I'm confused, what government are these countries recognizing? In the last election the Palestinians voted for Hamas not the PA. The PA has no mandate from the people so what gives them the right to have diplomatic ties with anyone...the PA is weak militarily, has no standing politically with the people and yet they are the voice and face that these countries are recognizing??? Welcome to the banana republic of the West Bank...nothing on the ground will ever change for these people
As I have said already domino effect strat to rumble!
Haven't you noticed that Norway has granted Palestinian embassy? Per Einar
If every country on the planet sees them as an independent state, I guess it is not an illusion. May be it is time for the Israeli government to get over its hallucinations!
Unilateral decisions and undertakings when such controversial issues have yet to be resolved in the middle east conflict smacks of misguided desperation and can only lead to even bigger disappointments for the Palestinians.
I thought not. And that in itself say something.
Why don't you just say you are dissed that the rest of the West is not bending over for Israel like the US is doing...
don't ever speak of the british being terrorists again in ireland, as you are now cozying up to one of the worst terror organizations in history.
these apologists for occupation would be out here trashing the Irish. Here you have a miserable example of that ilk.
Ireland has always been suspect in Israel's eye because they never had it in their pocket. Too many Irish human rights workers live in the occupied territories and see the day to day effects of the occupation. The arguments we hear coming out of Israel currently are strikingly similar to those coming from South Africa when nations began their boycotts and recognition of the ANC. The international community has been very patient with Israel over the past decades but they clearly see now that they have no interest in peace but rather they are all about demographics and land expropriation. They recognise that all their talk of a negotiated settlement is made impossible by their actions on the ground and their long term strategy. Ireland, along with the rest of EU strongly recognises the need for a negotiated settlement but they recognise too that that is not Israel's objective. Now, let's read the vitrol we will hear from these zionist apologists calling Ireland every name in the book and calling for a boycott against tourism to Ireland.
Especially not after ten phone calls ...
Haven't you noticed that Norway has granted Palestinian Embassy?
It is an often repeated phrase by both the US and Israel (it is hard to see the differnce between the two in regard to policy) that recognition of Palestine is counter productive to the "peace process". Can someone explain exactly how this is so. I see no evidence that there is any desire for peace on the US / Israeli side, and I think that after decades of statelessness the Palestinian people understand that the definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Ireland struggled long enough and hard enough to get it's own state in spite of the british and their empire. So it's not surprising that they have an understanding and sympathy for the Palestinians. What is amazing is that the Israelis constantly want to close down peaceful avenues for the Palestinians, and particularly the PA, to advance the Palestinian cause. But then when you occupy a country you lose any sense of respect for those you try to enslave. Comhghairdeas Éire.
The countries upgrading Palestinian status, are simply supporting future statehood, but not interferring in border or capital city issues,so whats wrong with that ?.....or could it be that Israel is not so sincere about an independent Palestinian state, and is now fearing the consequencies of world wide upgrading ?
"Day day, every day, build until Palestine is not feasible". Well, that is the sum of the misquote, anyway.
Everybody is competing to show how much they agree to the idea of a palestinian state either by creating embassies or like the Latin American countries saying we recognize a palestinian state for abit of prestige ( not because they care about the cause ) but whilst everybody else is recognizing it the palestinians themselves have not formerly declared statehood. Its like saying Neil Armstrong is the first man on the moon before he has even gone there. All this recignition in advance only makes talks harder because when Obama or Bibi says to Abbas lets sit down and hold serious negotiations Abbas sys no they all recognize my state just look and assuming he agrees to talk as soon as we make a single demand he doesn't like he will just walk away and say look everybody else backs my state so why should I be expected to compromise on anything its either my way or the highway. No matter how many Latin American countries recognize this state or how many give them embassies unless there is a negotiated solution with Israel this state will exist in theory only because Israel will destroy it economically through not providing vital transport links, it won't share water with the palestinians and there is already talk of stop providing electricity to Gaza. Israel would be in within its rights not to give electricity to an entity who it has no responsibility for. All the other things its capable of doing quite legally. These things come as a rewards from a negotiated solution. Israel is the only one that is able to decide if this state will be stillborn or weather it will have a chance at life.
What does upgrading to embassy mean in international law? Is it possible for a non-state to have embassies? Are they hinting by innuendo that Palestine is independent? Are they trying to recognize Palestinian independence without saying 1967? This is getting to be childish. Why don't they what they have in mind in plain English?
What does upgrading to embassy mean in international law? Is it possible for a non-state to have embassies? Are they hinting by innuendo that Palestine is independent? Are they trying to recognize Palestinian independence without saying 1967? This is getting to be childish. Why don't they what they have in mind in plain English?
These countries are just anti-semetic backwaters
Don't kid yourself.
And you yourself are so advanced, you can't even write English. Just for the record, from 90s until the 2008 financial meltdown, Ireland was the fastest growing economy in Europe - it was known as the Celtic Tiger. And Israel, what is it? The country that most received foreign remittances and donations in the whole world - and not only voluntary donations, but also tax revenues from countries such as the US - and that can build advanced military aircrafts by reverse engineering. How impressive.
Israel's government should go and screw themselves, period!