What does it mean to recognise Palestinian statehood? 

IT IS A step to “bring peace to the Middle East”, according to Simon Harris, Ireland’s prime minister. On May 22nd his country, along with Norway and Spain, said that it would formally recognise Palestine as a state. Israel recalled its ambassadors from all three countries in response; its foreign minister condemned the trio’s decision as a “distorted step” and said it was evidence, in the wake of Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7th, that “terrorism pays”. Ireland, Norway and Spain are joining the majority of countries: almost three-quarters of members of the UN recognise Palestine. What exactly does that mean—and who are the holdouts?