Slovenia gives official recognition to Palestine

LJUBLJANA/GAZA — Slovenia recognized a Palestinian state on Tuesday after its parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of the move, following in the recent steps of three other European countries.

Slovenia's government endorsed a motion last week to recognize a Palestinian state, and sent the proposal to the parliament for final approval, which was needed for the decision to take effect.

Lawmakers on Tuesday voted with 52 in favor and no one against in the 90-seat parliament. The remaining lawmakers were not present for the vote.

"Dear people of Palestine, today's final decision of Slovenia is a message of hope and peace," Slovenia's Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said on X.

Slovenia's decision came days after Spain, Norway and Ireland recognized a Palestinian state, a move that was condemned by Israel.

Previously, only seven members of the 27-nation European Union had officially recognized a Palestinian state. In 2014 Sweden became the first EU member to recognize a Palestinian state, following six other European countries that took the step before joining the bloc: Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Romania.

The current conflict was triggered by the Oct 7 Hamas-led attack in which militants stormed across the Gaza border into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages. Israel's air and land attacks have since killed more than 36,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

In developments on the truce talks, mediator Qatar said on Tuesday it was waiting for a "clear position" from Israel on a proposed Gaza cease-fire and hostage release deal outlined by the United States.

"We have yet to see a very clear position from the Israeli government," foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said, adding there was no "concrete approval" from either side.

"We have read and seen the contradictory statements coming in from Israeli ministers, which doesn't give us much confidence of there being a unified position in Israel over this current proposal on the table," he said.

Hamas is also yet to give a firm response, the official added.

The official later said Doha had received an "Israeli proposal which reflects the positions stated by President (Joe) Biden" and is "much closer" to meeting the conditions of both Israel and Hamas.

"We have delivered the proposal to the Hamas side," Ansari said, adding that Qatar is making its "best efforts to finalize an agreement".

Qatar, with the United States and Egypt, has been engaged in months of back-and-forth negotiations over details for a cease-fire and exchange of hostages and prisoners.

Mediation efforts

But with the exception of a seven-day break in fighting from November that led to the release of more than 100 hostages, the mediation efforts have not stopped the fighting.

The Israeli military said it has started "operational activity" in two areas of central Gaza in a possible broadening of its monthslong ground offensive against Hamas.

The military said on Wednesday its forces were operating "both above and below ground" in eastern parts of Deir al-Balah and Bureij, a built-up Palestinian refugee camp. It said the operation began with airstrikes on militant infrastructure, after which troops began a "targeted daylight operation" in both areas.

The shelling and airstrikes killed at least 19 people in central and southern Gaza on Tuesday, Palestinian medics said.

On the Red Sea, the US Navy said late Tuesday that the Yemeni Houthi group launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles into the Red Sea in the past 24 hours.

"There were no injuries or damage reported by the US, coalition, or commercial ships," the US Central Command said on X.

The Houthi group began last November to launch anti-ship ballistic missiles and drones targeting what they said were Israeli-linked ships transiting the Red Sea to show solidarity with Gazans.

Agencies - Xinhua