In recent years, the Palestinian state has gained recognition from a majority of countries around the world, with 137 out of 193 UN states expressing support. However, there are still several countries that have not recognized Palestine, including those in Western Europe, North America, Australia, Japan, and South Korea.
In an effort to expedite the process, the Spanish Prime Minister has indicated a desire for Spain to formally recognize a Palestinian state by summer. This move follows in the footsteps of other European countries like Sweden and France, who have also expressed readiness to recognize Palestine under certain circumstances.
The Palestinian state was first declared in 1988 by Yasser Arafat with support from countries such as China, India, Turkey, and Arab nations. Over time, more countries in Africa, the Soviet bloc, Central America and Latin America recognized Palestine. In 2012, Palestinians gained observer state status at the UN granting them access to international organizations.
Despite these developments and diplomatic efforts, there are still challenges for the Palestinian statehood aspirations. The US and Israel have criticized membership of organizations like UNESCO and International Criminal Court that Palestinians have joined. However this does not deter them from continuing to pursue international recognition and support for their statehood aspirations.
