Israel recalls envoys over Palestinian statehood: ‘We won’t stand silent’

Israel recalled its ambassadors from Ireland, Spain and Norway to protest the declarations by those countries that they recognize Palestine as a state.

The ambassadors of those three countries have also been summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem.

‘Sending a clear and unequivocal message’

“I’m sending a clear and unequivocal message to Ireland and Norway: Israel will not remain silent in the face of those undermining its sovereignty and endangering its security,” Israel’s Foreign Minister Irsael Katz wrote in a post on X.

“Today’s decision sends a message to the Palestinians and the world: Terrorism pays,” Katz said as he explained that it was problematic to take such a step in the aftermath of the Hamas-led invasion of Israel on October 7.

There were Over 1,200 people killed and 252 seized as hostages in that attack.

Flags of Palestine and Ireland flutter next to each other over the International Wall in support of Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, March 29, 2024 (credit: Clodagh Kilcoyn/Reuters)

Katz wrote that “after the Hamas terror organization carried out the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, after committing heinous sexual crimes witnessed by the world, these countries chose to reward Hamas and Iran by recognizing a Palestinian state.”

“This distorted step by these countries is an injustice to the memory of the victims of 7/10, a blow to efforts to return the 128 hostages, and a boost to Hamas and Iran’s jihadists, which undermines the chance for peace and questions Israel’s right to self-defense,” Katz wrote.

He warned other countries not to follow suit.

“Israel will not remain silent – there will be further severe consequences. If Spain follows through on its intention to recognize a Palestinian state, a similar step will be taken against it.

“The Irish-Norwegian folly does not deter us; we are determined to achieve our goals: restoring security to our citizens, dismantling Hamas, and bringing the hostages home. There are no more just causes than these,” he wrote.