This past Monday, 90 public figures in Ireland called for the government to review its position on whether or not they should recognize Palestine as a state, like what Sweden did back in 2014. The foreign minister of Sweden, Margot Wallström, recognized Palestine as a state preemptively, hoping to diplomatically affect middle eastern politics in order to give support to a possible future Palestinian state. Ireland has been reluctant to recognize Palestine as a state until the Palestinian Authority has full control of the West Bank, but calls for change in the government’s policy have followed Trump’s recent proclamation in support of continued Israeli occupation and settlement of Palestinian land.
http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/editorial/state-of-palestine-a-symbolic-recognition-1.3061058
