The Republic of Ireland has moved to officially recognise the state of Palestine, Taoiseach Simon Harris has announced.
Harris described the move as motivated by his country's belief in "freedom and justice as fundamental principles of international law".
At an address at Government Buildings in Dublin, he said: "We said the point of recognising the state of Palestine was coming closer, that point has now arrived.
"Today, Ireland, Norway and Spain are announcing that we recognise the state of Palestine... Each of us will now undertake whatever national steps are necessary to give effect to that decision."
Simon Harris said "we said the point of recognising the state of Palestine was coming closer... that point has now arrived"PAHe said a two-state solution was the only credible path to peace and security for Israel, Palestine and their peoples, adding that the recognition of statehood has particular resonance in Ireland given its history.
"Taking our place on the world stage and being recognised by others as having the right to be there was a matter of the highest importance for the founders of our state," Harris continued.
Ireland’s deputy premier and foreign affairs minister, Micheal Martin, said recognising the state of Palestine was about "the empowering of moderation".
Martin said: "Today's decision is about the empowering of moderation within Palestine... It can be argued that the Israeli strategy, war and suppression of the Palestinian people, has empowered extremism, and we're moving in a different direction... This is very much about peace."
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The three Irish Government leaders - Simon Harris (C), Micheal Martin (R) and Eamon Ryan (L) - made the announcement in Dublin today
PA
Ireland's, Norway's and Spain's recognition of Palestine will be formally enacted on May 28.
But Israel's Foreign Affairs Minister, Israel Katz, called the decision by the trio to recognise Palestine a "distorted step".
Katz added: "I have instructed the immediate recall of Israel's ambassadors to Ireland and Norway for consultations in light of these countries' decisions to recognise 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."
Spain and Norway's Prime Ministers are also recognising Palestine
Reuters
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Wednesday that the country's council of ministers would recognise an independent Palestinian state next Tuesday.
While Norway's Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, is also set to confirm the recognition on the same date.
The Israeli foreign ministry said it had ordered an immediate recall of its ambassadors to Ireland and Norway in response to the three countries' decisions to recognise a Palestinian state.
And Britain may soon make the same move; earlier this month, Deputy Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell MP told GB News "Britain will support Palestine become a state at the United Nations when we feel the time is right", but cooled prospects of an immediate recognition, adding: "That isn't now."