June 5 (UPI) -- The Slovenian Parliament has passed a proposal recognizing the state of Palestine, making it the latest European country to take the mostly symbolic step amid Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.
The Slovenian Parliament acted Tuesday, less than a week after the government called on it to do so and amid criticism from Israel, which has attacked countries that have recognized Palestine as an independent state.
"The message of peace that we are sending today from this parliament is a message of peace to all moderate residents of Israel and all residents of Palestine, letting them know that we have not forgotten them, as the peace solution is intended for them," Prime Minister Robert Golob of Slovenia said Tuesday in a statement.
"A two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine living in peace and security, is the only path to peace and stability in the Middle East."
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With Slovenian's decision, at least 147 of the 193 members of the United Nations now recognize Palestine as a state.
Though the move has no direct affect on Palestine's standing in the international community or United Nations, where it enjoys observer status, it states that Slovenia recognizes the state of Palestine by its borders of 1967 that include the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip
The issue of recognition of the state of Palestine has been reignited amid Israel's war against Hamas in the Palestinian enclave, which began Oct. 7 with the militant group's surprise and bloody attack on the Middle Eastern country.
Though international support was strong with Israel at the start of the war, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under growing criticism as the conflict continues and the death toll climbs to the tens of thousands.
Slovenia recognized the state of Palestine after Norway, Spain and Ireland did likewise last month, attracting the ire of Israel, which accused them of siding with murderers and being complicit in Hamas' war crimes.
Israel has yet to respond to Slovenia's decision, but last week condemned its government's proposal as rewarding Hamas "for murder, rape, mutilation of bodies [and] beheading of babies." It said doing so was strengthening Iran's "Axis of evil."
Some argue that recognizing Palestine as a state will hasten a movement to manifest a two-state solution to the multi-decade crisis, while others, such as the United States, first call for the creation of two states before Palestine is recognized.
On Monday, a U.N. expert panel had called on members states to recognize the state of Palestine, stating doing so is "an is an important acknowledgement of the rights of the Palestinian people and their struggles and suffering towards freedom and independence."
"A two-State solution remains the only internationally agreed path to peace and security for both Palestine and Israel and a way out of generational cycles of violence and resentment," the experts said in a statement.
