- Denmark Keeps Door Open to Palestinian State Recognition
COPENHAGEN – Denmark is not ruling out the possibility of recognizing Palestinian statehood, provided it meets democratic principles, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Tuesday, reinforcing the country’s longstanding support for a two-state solution.
“We’re not saying no to recognizing Palestine as a state,” Frederiksen told reporters. “We’re in favor of it. We have been for a long time. It’s what we want. But of course we have to be sure that it will be a democratic state.”
Frederiksen’s comments reflect Denmark’s consistent and principled approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict—supporting Israel’s right to self-defense, while also advocating for the rights of Palestinians and long-term peace in the region.
The statement comes amid growing public calls for action. On Sunday, more than 10,000 demonstrators marched through central Copenhagen, urging the Danish government to formally recognize Palestinian statehood and calling for an end to the war in Gaza.
Frederiksen also addressed the current Israeli leadership, stating in an August 16 interview with Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “now a problem in himself,” and that Israel’s military actions in Gaza have gone “too far.”
In a Facebook post on the same day, she condemned Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks that killed over 1,200 people in Israel, while also labeling Israel’s ongoing retaliation as “unacceptable.”
“Netanyahu’s continued and very violent actions in Gaza are unacceptable,” she wrote. “But we must never forget that Israel has the right to eliminate the threat posed by Hamas.”
Denmark’s position remains clear: any recognition of Palestinian statehood must contribute meaningfully to peace.
“It must come at a time when it genuinely benefits a two-state solution,” Frederiksen emphasized. “And where a lasting and democratic Palestinian state can be guaranteed. And it must of course be done with Hamas’s mutual recognition of Israel.”
As part of its current EU presidency, Denmark intends to use its influence to encourage stronger European pressure on Israel, despite anticipated challenges in uniting member states on the issue.
“It will be difficult to rally the necessary support but we will do everything we can,” the Prime Minister said.
According to official figures, the October 7 attacks by Hamas militants left 1,219 people dead in Israel, mostly civilians. In response, Israel’s military operations have resulted in over 62,744 deaths in Gaza, the majority of whom were also civilians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry—figures that the UN considers reliable.
BY: The Times Union
