The government of Armenia has officially announced the recognition of Palestine as a state, becoming the 149th country to do so.
In a statement on Friday, June 21, 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.”
“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.”
It adds that, “The Republic of Armenia has joined the resolutions of the UN General Assembly calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.”
The ministry emphasised that Armenia has consistently advocated for a peaceful and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian issue on various international platforms.
“Based on the foregoing and reaffirming our commitment to international law and the principles of equality, sovereignty, and peaceful coexistence of peoples, the Republic of Armenia recognises the State of Palestine,” the statement added.
“Always being a support[er] of [a] two-state solution in [the] 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.
In response to the recognition, Israel’s foreign affairs ministry summoned the Armenian ambassador to Israel.
The recognition follows recent declarations by Slovenia, Spain, Norway, and Ireland, bolstering international support for Palestinian statehood.
The recognition is part of a global effort to pressure Israel to cease its ongoing military campaign against Palestinians in Gaza Strip.
