Five more countries, including Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, recognize Palestine

New York: After major countries like France, Britain, Canada, and Australia, five more countries, including Belgium, Luxembourg, and Malta, have announced their recognition of Palestine.

Luxembourg, Belgium, Monaco, Andorra, and Malta announced their formal recognition of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly session.

The Belgian Prime Minister also called for full and free access to Gaza, saying that the Gaza crisis was endangering the two-state solution.

The Luxembourg Prime Minister, speaking at the General Assembly session, said that the two-state solution was the only viable path to peace.

The Maltese Prime Minister said that recognizing Palestine should not be seen as a victory for Hamas.

So far, 147 out of 193 member states of the United Nations have recognized the Palestinian state, thus more than 80 percent of the world's countries recognize the statehood of Palestine. However, as a result of Israeli attacks on Gaza, more than 65,000 Palestinians have lost their lives so far, and the region has become a pile of rubble.

European leaders say that this move is not just symbolic but a practical pressure to stop the war and open new paths to peace.

It is pertinent to note that this week, France, Britain, Australia, Portugal, and Canada have also announced their formal recognition of Palestine, to which the White House responded that it is tantamount to rewarding Hamas.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that he offers a partnership to the Palestinian state for a peaceful future. Israel's continued illegal settlement construction in the West Bank and ongoing attacks in Gaza have displaced millions of people and killed thousands of civilians, all of which violate international law.

It is pertinent to note that Israel and the United States boycotted the meeting. The Israeli delegate called the meeting a circus, while the administration of US President Donald Trump called the move a reward for Hamas, saying that this move would harm peace efforts.

The United States has indicated that it may use its veto power in the Security Council to block Palestine's full membership.