Foreign Ministry Welcomes.. Portugal Announces Its Intention to Recognize the State of Palestine Next Sunday

SadaNews - The Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced yesterday evening (Friday) that Portugal will officially recognize the State of Palestine next Sunday, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly meeting, where about 10 other countries are expected to take the same step, according to the French Press Agency.

Among the countries that also intend to recognize a Palestinian state are Britain, Canada, and France, while Israel continues its war against the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip.

Lisbon had announced in July that it planned to take this step due to the "very concerning developments in the conflict," along with the humanitarian crisis and repeated Israeli threats to annex Palestinian territories.

The Portuguese Foreign Ministry confirmed in a statement posted on its website that "Portugal will recognize the State of Palestine (...) and the official recognition will be announced on Sunday, September 21."

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates welcomed Portugal's decision, considering it a brave decision that aligns with international law and United Nations resolutions, and supports efforts to achieve peace and implement a two-state solution.

The ministry called on countries that have not yet recognized it to initiate recognition of the State of Palestine to safeguard the two-state solution, and urged them to actively engage in international efforts to achieve an immediate cessation of the war, protect civilians, and open a political negotiation path to end the occupation and enable the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination like other peoples of the earth, in accordance with the New York Declaration and the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice and international law, to achieve security, stability, and prosperity for the countries and peoples of the region, according to its statement.

Israel has strongly criticized the plans to recognize a Palestinian state, considering it a reward for Hamas for its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

However, the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where the United Nations has warned of the possibility of famine, has convinced even some of Israel's allies to recognize a Palestinian state.

Earlier on Friday, an advisor to French President Emmanuel Macron said that Andorra, Australia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and San Marino also intend to recognize the State of Palestine.

The United Nations General Assembly is set to start its sessions next Monday in New York, where it is scheduled to discuss the issue of the two-state solution for the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.