The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday June 21 the recognition of the State of Palestine with the aim of moving towards peace in the Middle East, emphasizing in particular the “critical situation in Gaza”.
“Reaffirming its allegiance to international law and the principles of equality, sovereignty and peaceful coexistence of peoples, the Republic of Armenia recognizes the State of Palestine”said the ministry in a press release. “Yerevan sincerely desires the advent of lasting peace” in the region, according to the ministry which recalls wanting “the immediate establishment of a truce” in the war in Gaza.
Relations between Israel and Armenia have deteriorated significantly since the fall of 2020, with Yerevan reproaching the Jewish state for its massive arms sales to Azerbaijan, which has finally submitted to its control, following a lightning offensive in September 2023, the secessionist province of Nagorno-Karabakh, the subject of a conflict between Baku and Yerevan for more than thirty years.
Israel protests, Hamas applauds
Hussein al-Sheikh, the secretary general of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), quickly “greeted” the decision taken by Yerevan. “This is a victory for law, justice, legitimacy and the struggle of our Palestinian people for liberation and independence”he stressed on the social network.
Shortly after, the Israeli Foreign Ministry reacted strongly, announcing “summon the Armenian ambassador for a severe reprimand”without giving further details.
At war with Israel in Gaza, the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, on the contrary, welcomed Yerevan’s decision, seeing in it “an additional and important step towards the consolidation of international recognition of the rights of our people and their aspiration for an end to the occupation [israélienne] and the establishment of an independent, fully sovereign state, with Jerusalem as its capital..
At the end of May, Spain, Ireland and Norway officially recognized the State of Palestine, claiming to want to promote peace in the region. These announcements aroused the anger of the Israeli authorities, who accused Madrid, Dublin and Oslo of thus offering a ” reward [au] terrorism ».