By Bret Stephens / The New York Times CompanyLast week’s announcements by the governments of Ireland, Norway and Spain that they will recognize a Palestinian state are drawing predictable reactions from predictable quarters. For now, it’s enough to note the Spanish government’s sheer nerve. Although Spanish public opinion overwhelmingly supports swift recognition of Palestinian statehood, it’s another story when it comes to Spain’s own independence movements. In 2017, the regional government of Catalonia held a referendum, declared illegal by Spain’s Constitutional Court, on the question of Catalan independence. There are many other independence movements throughout Europe, from Scotland to Flanders to Corsica and the Balkans.

Source: The Herald May 29, 2024 14:50 UTC