There will be “severe consequences”: Israeli FM warns after Ireland, Norway recognise Palestinian statehood

As several countries recognized Palestinian statehood on Wednesday, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz sent a clear and unequivocal message to Ireland and Norway stressing, “Israel will not remain silent.”

Israel’s Foreign Minister instructed the immediate recall of Israel’s ambassadors to Ireland and Norway for consultations in light of this development.

Spain, Norway and Ireland on Wednesday, said, that they would recognize an independent Palestinian state, a rebuke to Israel over its war in Gaza and its decades of occupation of Palestinian territories, The New York Times reported.

“I have instructed the immediate recall of Israel’s ambassadors to Ireland and Norway for consultations in light of these countries’ decisions to recognize a Palestinian state. I’m sending a clear and unequivocal message to Ireland and Norway: Israel will not remain silent in the face of those undermining its sovereignty and endangering its security,” he said in a post shared on X.

Foreign Minister Katz emphasised that the decision sends a message to them that “Terrorism pays”. “Today’s decision sends a message to the Palestinians and the world: Terrorism pays,” he said.

The Israeli foreign minister highlighted that these countries are choosing to reward Hamas and Iran by recognising a Palestinian state.

“After the Hamas terror organization carried out the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, after committing heinous sexual crimes witnessed by the world, these countries chose to reward Hamas and Iran by recognizing a Palestinian state,” he said in his post on X.

Calling it a “distorted step”, Katz said that this would be an injustice to the memory of the victims of the October 7 attack, adding that it undermines the chance for peace.

“This distorted step by these countries is an injustice to the memory of the victims of 7/10, a blow to efforts to return the 128 hostages, and a boost to Hamas and Iran’s jihadists, which undermines the chance for peace and questions Israel’s right to self-defence,” he said.

“Israel will not remain silent – there will be further severe consequences,” Katz stressed, adding that if Spain follows through on its intention to recognize a Palestinian state, a similar step will be taken against it.

“The Irish-Norwegian folly does not deter us; we are determined to achieve our goals: restoring security to our citizens, dismantling Hamas, and bringing the hostages home. There are no more just causes than these,” he said.

Over 140 countries and the Holy See have recognised a Palestinian state, but most Western European countries and the US have not, reported The New York Times.

According to them, the recognition should be achieved through negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians and while they support a two-state solution, unilateral measures by third parties will not advance that goal.

Meanwhile, Israel has strongly condemned international attempts to recognise a Palestinian state and emphasised that Israel needs to negotiate directly with Palestinian leaders on a permanent solution.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said that establishing a Palestinian state would be an “existential danger” to Israel, The New York Times reported.