Armenia’s Foreign Ministry on Friday issued an announcement recognizing the State of Palestine, with Israel warning Yerevan of “severe long-term consequences.”
“The catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the ongoing military conflict are among the primary issues on the international political agenda that require settlement. The Republic of Armenia categorically rejects the targeting of civilian infrastructure, violence against the civilian population and the hostage-taking of civilians during armed conflict, joining the international community’s demands for their unconditional release,” said the foreign ministry’s statement.
“The Republic of Armenia has joined the resolutions of the UN General Assembly calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. 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 favour 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 statement added.
“Based on the aforementioned and reaffirming our commitment to international law and the principles of equality, sovereignty, and peaceful coexistence of peoples, the Republic of Armenia recognizes the State of Palestine,” the foreign ministry concluded.
The Palestinian Authority commended and welcomed Yerevan’s decision.
In a press statement, the Palestinian Authority expressed deep appreciation for “this courageous and significant decision,” viewing it as a “pivotal step toward enhancing bilateral relations and fostering peace and stability in the region.”
The Authority thanked Armenia for its “bold and wise move, which underscores the strong bonds of friendship between the two nations.” It also commended the commitment of the government and people of Armenia to “supporting the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights to their land and to self-determination.”
“Armenia’s wise decision aligns with the principles of the two-state solution, a strategic choice that upholds international will and legitimacy. This recognition contributes positively to preserving the two-state solution, which faces systematic challenges, and promotes security, peace, and stability for all parties involved,” the Palestinian Authority said in the statement.
The Palestinian leadership urged other nations, particularly European countries that have yet to recognize the State of Palestine, to follow suit, calling on those countries to emulate the recent recognitions by Spain, Ireland, Norway, Slovenia, and Armenia, which “have chosen to support the path towards peace, stability, and the reinforcement of international law.”
An adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to social media to condemn Armenia’s decision to recognize the Palestinian State and warned Yerevan of “serious consequences.”
“Armenia’s recognition of the Palestinian state is a victory for terrorists and murderers from Hamas and other Palestinian groups,” Netanyahu’s adviser, Dmitry Gendelman, wrote of the Russia-based Telegram channel.
“This step will have serious long term consequences for Israel-Armenia relations,” Gendelman warned.
Israel’s foreign ministry reacted swiftly summoning Armenia’s Ambassador to that country, Arman Hakobyan, for what it called “a harsh reprimand.”
“Following Armenia’s recognition of a Palestinian state, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Ambassador of Armenia to Israel for a harsh reprimand conversation,” Israel’s foreign ministry statement said.
Armenian foreign ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan told Armenpress that there would be no additional comment on the matter outside the statement.
She, however, did say that Hakobyan, Armenia’s Ambassador to Israel, did not meet with the Israeli foreign ministry.
“Concerning the recognition of the State of Palestine, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a statement presenting the approaches of Armenia, including the recognition of the ‘two-state’ principle. We have no additional public comment,” Badalyan said.
“At the moment, no meeting has taken place with the Armenian Ambassador at the Israeli Foreign Ministry,” Badalyan added.
Armenia joins dozens of mostly Middle Eastern, African and Asian countries that have also recognized Palestine as a state. Last month, four European countries — Spain, Ireland, Norway and Slovenia — also recognized the Palestinian State.