Ireland's Tánaiste, Simon Harris, has said that international recognition of a Palestinian state is "crucial" but must be followed by concrete measures for real change.
Speaking to The New Arab's Arabic language edition amid high-level meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Harris responded to questions on Palestine after more than 140 countries endorsed a two-state solution during Monday's conference on statehood.
"I think everyone did it out of good faith. It's very important. I understand that the Palestinian people and the Palestinian Authority appreciate it, because if you believe in the two-state solution, then recognising the existence of two states helps implement that solution," he said.
"When Ireland recognised the State of Palestine, it also showed the people of Palestine that there is a way forward, and I think that is important in these very difficult times," he added.
However, he said that recognition must be backed by concrete measures.
"If they come to the UN thinking that recognition is great and then they can return to their usual foreign policies, then they are missing the point," he added.
He called for Arab leaders to use their meeting with US President Trump to press Washington on "the day after" in Gaza, including plans for the territory without Hamas, as outlined in the New York Declaration.
He said the message must be delivered consistently to Washington, urging follow-up on EU trade measures against Israel and arguing that such steps could shift Israel's calculations.
Israel's ongoing war on Gaza has killed more than 65,419 Palestinians, most of them women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry. The true death toll is believed to be much higher, and thousands of uncounted victims are believed to be buried under rubble.
The war has displaced nearly the entire population, and a famine has started due to Israel's siege of the territory.
The UN and international rights groups have accused Israel of deliberately inflicting conditions to destroy the Palestinian population.
Ireland has been one of Europe's most outspoken critics of Israel's war, consistently pressing for accountability and recognition of Palestinian rights within the EU.
On whether Dublin feared political or economic consequences for its stance, Harris said: "We believe in applying international law without fear or favour, regardless of the conflict. Ireland has a proud record of supporting human rights, international law and territorial integrity, and we apply this approach consistently to all conflicts."
Ireland was among the first EU states to formally recognise Palestine earlier this year, alongside Spain and Norway, adding momentum to a wave of recognitions that has since spread to Canada, Australia and the UK.