The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which is at war with Israel in the Gaza Strip, and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), today welcomed the decision of three European countries to recognize the state of Palestine.
"We consider this an important step towards asserting our right to the land and establishing a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital," Hamas said in a statement.
Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim assessed that the recognition of the state of Palestine was the result of the "courageous resistance" of the Palestinians and the "historical perseverance of the Palestinian people."
"We believe this is a turning point in the international position on the Palestinian issue," Basem Naim told AFP.
The PLO hailed a historic moment in which "the free world triumphs."
"These are historic moments after long decades of Palestinian national struggle, suffering, pain, racism, murder, oppression, abuse and destruction to which the people of Palestine have been subjected," PLO Executive Committee Secretary General Hussein al-Sheikh said online.
Spain, Norway and Ireland today announced a coordinated decision to recognize a Palestinian state in the hope of prompting other countries to do the same.
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