North Macedonia is holding back on whether to recognize Palestine, with its foreign minister stressing that the small Balkan state must move in lockstep with the European Union and the United States as the conflict in Gaza dominates the agenda at the United Nations General Assembly.
Foreign Minister Timcho Mucunski said Skopje would not act “impulsively or emotionally” at a time when even EU member states lack consensus on the issue.
“When EU member states themselves have not reached consensus, it is not the time for us to take any decision on Palestine,” Mucunski told broadcaster Sitel while in New York for the UN gathering.
He added that North Macedonia would continue consultations with Washington and European partners before taking a final stance. “We are deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza … but that does not mean we should respond emotionally,” he said.
Regional divisions
The debate over Palestinian recognition has exposed divisions across the Western Balkans, a region where foreign policy often reflects both historical legacies and current geopolitical alignments.
Albania, a non-permanent UN Security Council member in 2022–23, supported a resolution paving the way for Palestinian membership in the world body but has stopped short of formal bilateral recognition.
Bosnia and Herzegovina remains deadlocked: Bosniak Muslim leaders favor recognition, while Bosnian Serb and some Croat representatives oppose it, making consensus in Sarajevo elusive.
Kosovo, which itself lacks UN membership due to non-recognition by several major powers, rhetorically supports Palestinian statehood but avoids formal moves, wary of straining ties with its key backers, the United States and Israel.
Montenegro and Serbia have also refrained from recognition. Belgrade maintains longstanding relations with Palestinian leaders but has in recent years strengthened political and economic ties with Israel, complicating its position.
Wider international context
Roughly 150 of the UN’s 193 member states already recognize Palestine, and several Western countries announced new recognition moves ahead of the UN General Assembly. But the United States and Israel remain firmly opposed, and EU capitals are split.
France, Spain, Ireland and Norway have moved toward recognition, while Germany, Italy and several other member states are holding back, wary of deepening divisions within the bloc and straining ties with Washington.
For North Macedonia, a NATO member seeking EU accession, alignment with Western partners is paramount. “Our policy will be defined once we see clearer consensus among our strategic allies,” Mucunski said.
The balancing act reflects the dilemmas of a region historically sympathetic to the Palestinian cause under former Yugoslavia, yet now bound tightly to Euro-Atlantic structures and Western foreign policy.