Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, has said that recognising a Palestinian state immediately would not ease the crisis in Gaza, though she stressed that Denmark continues to support a two-state solution.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Frederiksen wrote: “Recognising Palestine here and now is not going to help the thousands of children who are currently fighting for their survival, no matter how much you want it. Instead, we need to increase the pressure on both Israel and Hamas.”
Why is Danish PM opposed to immediate recognition of Palestinian state?
Frederiksen said Denmark backs the creation of a Palestinian state, but only when conditions allow for what she called a “sustainable and democratic” government in Palestine, free from Hamas’s influence. She added that recognition must also come with “mutual recognition of Israel”.
The Guardian reported that Frederiksen also criticised Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu describing him as “a problem in and of himself” and saying that his conduct in Gaza was “unacceptable”. She added that while Denmark recognised Israel’s right to defend itself, “the level of human suffering is incomprehensible.”
Denmark has taken over the presidency of the European Union for the next six months. Frederiksen said her government would use this position to push for stronger measures. “We are one of the countries that will put additional pressure on Israel, but so far, we have not been able to gain support from the EU circle,” she told Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.
She added that sanctions against Israel could be considered in a similar way to those imposed on Russia, targeting areas where Denmark and its allies believe they would be most effective.
