The official recognition of Palestine

Recognition of a new state is a political act. It sends a signal, not just to the state being added to the international pantheon, but also to friends and foes of the recognizer. This simple map of Palestine’s recognition as a state thus throws light on several key moments and relationships in recent political history. 

In 1988, a declaration of independence formally established the State of Palestine and Yasser Arafat became its president. Palestine being a symbol of colonial resistance, it is unsurprising that many formally colonized states in Asia and Africa were first to recognize it. States in the Soviet sphere also immediately granted it official recognition, in an act of Cold War defiance against the US and its Western allies, who held back.

Since then, acceptance of the Palestinian state has followed in a series of waves, triggered by domestic politics or international events. South Africa’s recognition took place in 1995 after the end of Apartheid and under the leadership of Nelson Mandela, while the left-wing presidencies of Chavez and Lula in Latin America led to their acknowledgement of Palestine in 2009 and 2010. The ongoing war in Gaza has further accelerated the recognition process, expanding the map into the West, within Europe – notably in formerly colonized countries (such as Ireland) – and to the borders of the United States (Mexico). 

In Europe the vestiges of the Iron Curtain are clearly visible, as all former Soviet bloc countries (Poland, Czechia, Romania, etc.) that have since joined NATO and the EU continue to acknowledge Palestine, despite the unequivocal position of their American protector. Backtracking on the issue is perhaps neither easy nor diplomatic at this juncture.

Looking at the map today, the United States and its allies appear increasingly isolated.  There is a clear majority (of currently 146 out of 193 UN member states) that officially recognizes and affirms the existence of a Palestinian state. It has become a cause of increasing concern for countries in the Global South, with South Africa bringing a case to the International Court of Justice against Israel for its reprisals for the terrorism perpetrated by Hamas in October 2023. Nevertheless, this territorial majority has been unable to effect a ceasefire in Gaza. In reality, it will make little difference what the rest of the world thinks while the US continues to bolster Israel’s position.