The Bahamas recognizes Palestine as a state, joining fellow independent CARICOM members

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that the Cabinet of The Bahamas has decided to formally recognize Palestine as a state.

A statement released this afternoon read: “The Government of The Bahamas believes that recognition of the State of Palestine strongly demonstrates The Bahamas’ commitment to the principles espoused in the Charter of the United Nations and to the right of self-determination of peoples as articulated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).

“The Bahamas became an independent nation in 1973 as an act of self-determination. Therefore, The Bahamas supports the legal right of the Palestinian people of self-determination “to freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.” (Common Article 1 of the ICCPR and ICESCR).

“The Bahamas has, in the past, endorsed the two-state solution as clearly articulated in the United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 (1967) on a Peaceful and Accepted Settlement of the Middle East Situation.

“The Bahamas joins the Caribbean Community’s consensus on this matter.”

With The Bahamas’ declaration, they become the final of fourteen independent members of CARICOM to recognize Palestine as a State.