Ireland, Spain, Norway to formally recognise Palestine

Sub: IR

Sec: Places in news

Context:

Norway, Ireland and Spain announced on May 22 that they will formally recognise the state of Palestine.

Key Highlights:

The European countries’ announcements come weeks after 143 of 193 countries in the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly voted for full membership to the U.N. for the State of Palestine.

Which countries recognized Palestine?

Norway has been involved in peace talks between Israel and Palestine for decades, including by hosting the beginning of the Oslo process, which culminated in the Oslo Peace Accords in the early-mid 1990s.
Spain and Ireland announced that it would formally recognise Palestine.

About Palestine:

Palestine officially the State of Palestine is a country in the southern Levant region of West Asia.
It encompasses two disconnected territories i.e. the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, collectively known as the Palestinian territories within the larger region of Palestine.
The country shares its borders with Israel to the north, west and south, Jordan to the east and Egypt to the southwest.
Its proclaimed capital is Jerusalem while Ramallah serves as its administrative center and Rafah is currently its largest city.
Arabic is the official language.
The majority of Palestinians practice Islam while Christianity also has a significant presence.

About Oslo Peace Accords:

The Oslo Accords are a pair of interim agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
The Oslo I Accord, signed in Washington, D.C, in 1993 and the Oslo II Accord, signed in Taba, Egypt in 1995.
The Oslo process began after secret negotiations in Oslo, Norway, resulting in both the recognition of Israel by the PLO and the recognition by Israel of the PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people and as a partner in bilateral negotiations.