Barbados Becomes 11th CARICOM Nation to Recognize Palestine as a State

Barbados has officially recognized Palestine as a state, becoming the 11th member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to do so. Foreign Minister Kerrie Symmonds made the announcement, emphasizing the importance of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Symmonds acknowledged that Barbados had previously failed to formally recognize Palestine, calling it an "error" and "incongruity" that needed to be corrected. "We have always maintained at the United Nations that there should be a two-state solution, but we never formally recognized Palestine as a state," he said.

The foreign minister stressed that the decision to recognize Palestine does not affect Barbados' relationship with Israel, which he described as "exceptionally good" since 1967. Barbados has benefited from technical cooperation with Israel, particularly in areas of food security and agriculture.

Why this matters: Barbados' recognition of Palestine aligns the nation with the majority of UN member states, although key players like the European Union, United States, and Canada have not taken this step. The move comes amid ongoing tensions and humanitarian crises in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Barbados and CARICOM expressing disappointment over the recent violence in the Gaza Strip.

Barbados had formal talks with Palestine in September 2023, prior to the recent Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Symmonds stated that Barbados, along with CARICOM, has expressed "unconditional disappointment and dissatisfaction" about the humanitarian crisis and disproportionate Israeli response. The island nation has called for a de-escalation of tensions in the region.

The decision to recognize Palestine as a state comes after calls from local organizations in Barbados to take this step. With Barbados now joining the ranks of CARICOM nations that have formally recognized Palestine, the move is seen as a significant diplomatic development in the region's stance on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Symmonds emphasized that Barbados remains committed to a two-state solution and correcting its previous position at the United Nations.

Key Takeaways

• Barbados officially recognized Palestine as a state, becoming the 11th CARICOM member to do so.
• Barbados acknowledged its previous failure to recognize Palestine and has now corrected this "error".
• Barbados' recognition of Palestine does not affect its "exceptionally good" relationship with Israel since 1967.
• Barbados' decision aligns the nation with the majority of UN member states, but not the EU, US, and Canada.
• Barbados has expressed "unconditional disappointment" over the recent violence in the Gaza Strip and called for de-escalation.