Armenia unilaterally recognizes Palestinian statehood

Armenia unilaterally recognized Palestinian statehood, becoming the ninth country since April to do so as a direct response to the Gaza War.

“Always being a support of a two-state solution in Israeli-Palestinian conflict #Armenia made [the] decision to recognize the independent state of #Palestine," the country’s Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan wrote in a post on X on Friday after his country made its announcement.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Armenia ambassador to protest the decision.

The Palestinian Authority welcomed the announcement. PA President Mahmoud Abbas’s office stated, “This recognition contributes positively to preserving the two-state solution; which faces systematic challenges, and promotes security, peace and stability for all parties involved.”

Abbas’s office called on other countries, particularly European ones, who have not yet done so, to recognize Palestinian statehood.

In a longer statement posted on its website, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said that “the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the ongoing military conflict are among the primary issues on the international political agenda that require settlement.”

Condemning the targeting of civilians

It condemned the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure and called for the release of the remaining 120 hostages held in Gaza.

“The Republic of Armenia has joined the resolutions of the UN General Assembly calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” it said.

“Furthermore, the Republic of Armenia is genuinely committed to establishing peace and stability in the Middle East and lasting reconciliation between the Jewish and Palestinian peoples. 

“On various international platforms, our position has consistently been in favor of a peaceful and comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian issue, and we support the "two-state" solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

“We are convinced that this is the only way to ensure that both Palestinians and Israelis can fulfill their legitimate aspirations,” the Armenia Foreign Ministry added.

Some 145 countries have recognized Palestine as a state since 1988, with Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas, Norway, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia making that move in the last two months.

The gestures come as the Palestinian Authority has renewed its push to become the 194th member of the United Nations, but its efforts have been blocked by the United States.

The PA has asked countries that have not yet recognized it as a state state to do so in light of the Gaza war.

The war was sparked by the Hamas-led invasion of Israel on October 7, in which over 1,200 people were killed and 251 seized as hostages. 

Israel has argued that unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood as efforts are underway for a deal to secure the release of the remaining 120 hostages strengthens Hamas and gives it an incentive not to make a deal to bring the captives home.

Egypt and Qatar, however, which are mediating the hostage deal welcomed Armenia’s announcement, as did Turkey.

The Gaza war was sparked by the Hamas-led invasion of Israel on October 7, in which over 1,200 people were killed and 251 seized as hostages.

Hamas has asserted that over 37,000 Palestinians have been killed in war-related violence, verifying some 25,000 of those fatalities. Israel has said that over 14,000 of those deaths are combatants.