Dutch churches: Recognition of Palestine is a human necessity
The Protestant churches of the Netherlands issued a statement stating that human necessity demands that Palestine be recognized.
According to the Dutch newspaper "Trav" of the Palestinian Information Center, the leaders of the country's Protestant churches signed an official statement calling on the Dutch interim government to recognize the state of Palestine. The statement also called on The Hague to pressure the Zionist regime to stop the violence in the West Bank, establish a ceasefire in Gaza, send humanitarian aid, and mutually release prisoners.
Caroline Jespers, the initiator of this movement, said in an interview with Trav: “I had been worried about the situation in Gaza for a long time, but the moment Israel began its policy of starving the people of Gaza was a turning point for me.” She emphasized: “The recognition of Palestine by the Netherlands is not a political issue, but a humanitarian necessity. An independent Palestinian state is a basic condition for the secure life of this nation.”
The move comes amid a renewed wave of international support for the establishment of a Palestinian state. A number of countries, including France, Britain and Australia, have announced that they will put the issue of formal recognition of Palestine on the agenda at the upcoming UN General Assembly meetings in September.
Just a few days ago, the French Foreign Minister, along with 14 other countries, issued the “New York Call” calling on all governments to join the process of recognizing the state of Palestine. The foreign ministers of these countries issued a joint statement at the International Palestine Summit, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia at the United Nations, that emphasized the revival of the two-state solution.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot also wrote in a message on the social network X: "In New York, France, along with 14 other countries, made a collective request and announced that we express our desire to recognize the State of Palestine and invite those who have not yet done so to join us."
The signatories to the declaration include Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia and Spain. In the text, the 15 countries expressed their “unwavering commitment” to realizing the vision of a two-state solution.
Of these countries, nine governments, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand, have not yet recognized Palestine, but have announced that they are positively considering the issue. Diplomatic sources also reported that 17 other countries, along with the European Union and the Arab League, called for an end to the war and the removal of Hamas from Gaza management during the meeting.
In such an environment, the Dutch Protestant churches' joining the campaign to recognize Palestine is a reflection of the increasing social and religious pressure on European governments to end the tragic situation in Gaza and the West Bank.
