I'm not sure this helps us much: European countries are officially recognizing Palestine as a state.

 t has a flag, a national anthem, diplomats, and even its own international dialing code. In fact, three-quarters of the world's 195 countries − 143 U.N. member states plus the Vatican and Western Sahara − say it is a state.

Ireland, Norway, and Spain have decided to recognize an independent Palestinian state, starting Tuesday, almost eight months into Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza and decades into the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

What does this formal statehood recognition mean? Will these recognitions, which the U.S. and larger European nations have not joined, bring full Palestinian statehood closer and improve Palestinians' lives?

Rowan Nicholson, a scholar of international law, said that to qualify as a state, four criteria are typically required: a permanent population, a defined territory, a government, and independence. The conditions for statehood are both fairly rigid and a matter of debate.

"The criteria have developed over the centuries through the practice of states. There’s no single definitive written version of them; they are fuzzy and open to interpretation," said Nicholson. He referenced the Montevideo Convention of 1933 but noted exceptions, like unlawfully invading an existing state to create a new one.

In the Palestinian context, one reason to doubt its statehood is that it doesn’t have effective independence from Israel. Israel's military occupies Palestinian lands and controls many aspects of life in Gaza and the West Bank.

Larry Garber, a former USAID mission director, said the U.S. believes that formal recognition of a Palestinian state should come through direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. "First, Palestine should build up the various attributes of a state, then statehood would be the ultimate goal," he said. Germany and France support this staged approach.

"Our position is clear: the recognition of a Palestinian state is not a taboo for France," said France's Foreign Minister, but added that the decision must lead to a decisive political step forward.

Mai’a Cross, a political science professor, said the recent European recognitions acknowledge the aspirations of a future Palestinian state. **"It's more than symbolism; it’s a political statement."

Marc Weller, an international law scholar, said, "The recognizing states are changing Palestine's status to that of a state, making it harder for Israel to deny Palestine's right to become a state."** This is a powerful political tool to counter Israel's denial of Palestinian statehood.

Recognitions upgrade diplomatic relations and allow for the exchange of ambassadors and signing of treaties. They commit to treating Palestine as a state for practical purposes, such as accepting passports and granting sovereign immunity.

"Recognition of Palestine is not the end of a process; it is the beginning," said Ireland's prime minister. Slovenia and Malta may also recognize Palestine soon.

In May, the U.N. General Assembly declared that Palestinians qualify for full U.N. membership status, but the Security Council, where the U.S. has veto power, must approve this.

"The U.S. is preventing recognition of Palestine to limit its ability to function as a state," said Ahmed Khan. The U.S. has been a strong supporter of Israel since its recognition in 1948.

Omar Shaban, founder of PalThink for Strategic Studies, appreciates the recognition but says it doesn't help much. "The situation for Palestinians is not improving at all; we need help to stop the killing."