Today’s news / Slovenia parliament recognizes Palestine as state
The Slovenian parliament has decided to recognize a Palestinian state, although it is not yet clear which area Slovenia recognizes as being part of that state, or which government Slovenia believes represents it. Photo: Borut Zivulovic/Reuters

Slovenia parliament recognizes Palestine as state

On Tuesday evening, a majority in the Slovenian parliament voted for the recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state, according to Reuters. Earlier in May, the government of Slovenia announced its support for such recognition, leading to parliamentary voting. Slovenia joins countries like Spain, Norway, Ireland, and notably Sweden, who acknowledged Palestine as a state in 2014. In the vote, 52 of the 90 members of the Slovenian parliament endorsed the recognition. However, the specifics of what constitutes the state of Palestine and its representatives remain unclear. Typically, Palestinian territories refer to Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. While Hamas controls Gaza and is at war with Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Fatah govern the West Bank. East Jerusalem is annexed by Israel. Hamas and Israel are negotiating a ceasefire in Gaza, which includes discussions on the release of hostages.