Lisbon, September 21-Portugal has officially decided to recognize Palestine as an independent state, becoming the latest European country to take this step following Luxembourg’s earlier decision.
According to a statement issued by the Portuguese Foreign Ministry on Sunday, “Portugal will recognize Palestine as an independent state.” The ministry confirmed that the recognition will take effect before the high-level session of the United Nations General Assembly, scheduled to open on September 21 in New York. The meeting is being co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia.
Portuguese daily Correio da Manhã reported that Prime Minister Luís Montenegro consulted with the president and parliament before finalizing the decision. The move comes after nearly 15 years of political debate in Portugal, during which successive governments struggled to reach a consensus on the Palestine issue.
Lisbon had already signaled its intention in July to recognize Palestine in an effort to address the ongoing Israeli occupation in Gaza and the West Bank and to highlight the worsening humanitarian crisis.
By joining the growing number of states recognizing Palestinian sovereignty, Portugal’s decision is expected to add momentum to international efforts pushing for a two-state solution in the Middle East.
Source: Al Jazeera