ANKARA 

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit on Wednesday hailed announcements from Norway, Spain and Ireland to recognize Palestine as a state.

In a brief statement, Aboul-Gheit said the decisions put the three countries “on the right side of history in this [Palestinian-Israeli] conflict."

He called on other countries worldwide to follow the three nations in “their courageous initial step."

The formal recognition of Palestine as a state by Norway, Ireland and Spain will enter into force on May 28, 2024.

Palestine is already recognized by nine European countries: Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Sweden, Malta and the Greek Cypriot administration.

The recognition comes as Israel continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023 despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the enclave.

More than 35,600 Palestinians have been killed, the vast majority of whom have been women and children, and nearly 79,900 others injured since last October following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.

More than seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered it to ensure that its forces do not commit acts of genocide and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar