The Irish government is to announce the recognition of a Palestinian state on Wednesday, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. Israel's foreign ministry warned against the move, saying in a post on social media that recognition would "lead to more terrorism, instability in the region and jeopardize any prospects for peace." "Don't be a pawn in the hands of Hamas," the ministry said. Ireland’s Prime Minister, Simon Harris, said last month that Ireland is close to formally recognizing a Palestinian state. “When we move forward, we would like to do so with as many others as possible to lend weight to the decision and to send the strongest message. The people of Israel deserve a secure and peaceful future, so do the people of Palestine. Equal sovereignty, equal respect,” Harris added. His comments came weeks after Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and Malta announced that they would jointly work toward the recognition of a Palestinian state, arguing a two-state solution is essential for lasting peace in the region. Israel told the four EU countries that committed to moving toward Palestinian recognition that their initiative would amount to a “prize for terrorism” that would reduce the chances of a negotiated resolution to the conflict. Related articles: 'We're not seeing a targeted response to terrorism here' Ireland open to buying Israeli drones despite criticism over Gaza Have knife, will travel? Irish court grants kosher food to Rabbi jailed for circumcision The Palestinian Authority (PA) has long urged countries to recognize “Palestine” as a means of bypassing direct talks with Israel. While several European countries have recognized “Palestine” in recent years, those moves were symbolic ones that have little, if any, actual diplomatic effect.
