MP Sandra Bencic (Mozemo party) reiterated in parliament on Wednesday that Croatia should recognise Palestine as an independent state. In response, Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman said that Croatia was "absolutely" in favour of recognition, but as a result of an agreement between Israel and Palestine.

“Recognising Palestine now would actually mean recognising the military wing of Hamas,” Grlic-Radman said during the discussion on the Prime Minister’s report on the European Council meetings that took place between January and July.

He recalled that Croatia has always supported a two-state solution.

“We want Israel and Palestine to reach an agreement. The peace process should be resumed. Croatia has always advocated this,” emphasised the Foreign Minister.

Symbolic act

Bencic said that “a symbolic act of recognising Palestine at this time” could possibly contribute to an international consensus that would demand a ceasefire and the restoration of the international legal order from the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Such a symbolic act would be no small thing. We should remember what the symbolic acts of recognition by other countries have meant to us,” said the opposition MP, recalling that over 40,000 civilians have been killed in the Gaza Strip by the Netanyahu government, 40 per cent of them children and 25 per cent women.

Independent MP Nino Raspudic said that the situation there was not as simple as it was being portrayed. “The UN has also said that the solution is two states, but where are their borders and how will they be organised? Should we recognise everything? Do we recognise when Palestine goes to the sea and throws the Jews into the sea?” he asked.