Slovenia became the latest European Union country to officially recognize the State of Palestine.
Despite a call for a referendum from that nation’s largest opposition party, the Slovenian parliament approved the designation on Tuesday with a majority vote.
After deciding to push forward with a vote last week, Slovenia became the latest European country to recognize Palestinian statehood after Spain, Ireland, and Norway took similar steps in recent weeks — further putting pressure on Israel and their genocidal campaign in Gaza.
According to Reuters, the far-right Slovenian Democratic Party called for a referendum citing that any recognition of Palestinian statehood at this time would award the “terrorist organisation Hamas”.
After the ruling coalition, which holds a majority in Slovenia’s 90-member parliament, tried to find the way around the referendum demand and proceed with the vote, the SDS withdrew their proposal but submitted it again hours later.
The parliament committee for foreign affairs declared it inadequate and dismissed it at an extraordinary session.
The decision was approved with 52 votes, and nobody against it after the opposition SDS party had left the session.
More than 140 countries now recognize the Palestinian state which accounts for more than two-thirds of the United Nations. Palestinian statehood has become an even more pressing issue worldwide given the more than 36,000 Palestinians who’ve been murdered by Israel since October 7.