Portugal has officially recognized the State of Palestine, joining a growing list of countries that have taken this step. The announcement was made by Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel on Sunday evening, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly summit in New York next week. Portugal is the fourth country to confirm its recognition of Palestine in recent times, following Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has welcomed Portugal’s decision, describing it as a “courageous step consistent with international law and United Nations resolutions.” This move is seen as a boost to ongoing efforts to achieve peace and advance the two-state solution, which aims to establish secure and recognized borders for both Israel and Palestine.
The upcoming UNGA summit is expected to be dominated by Middle East issues, with over 140 world leaders in attendance. France and Saudi Arabia are sponsoring an initiative to revive the long-stalled two-state solution. Earlier this month, the General Assembly overwhelmingly supported a resolution calling for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, with only nine countries opposing the measure, including the United States and Israel.
Portugal’s recognition of Palestine adds to the growing international support for the Palestinian cause. The move is significant, given the timing, just before the UNGA summit. The summit is expected to focus on reviving the two-state solution, which has been stalled for years. The international community’s support for Palestine’s statehood is likely to be a key topic of discussion during the summit.
The two-state solution has been a long-standing goal of international diplomacy, aiming to establish two independent states, Israel and Palestine, coexisting within secure and recognized borders. The recognition of Palestine by countries like Portugal is seen as a step towards achieving this goal. As the international community gathers for the UNGA summit, the issue of Israel-Palestine is likely to take center stage, with Portugal’s decision potentially influencing the discussions.
