This decision precedes a United Nations General Assembly summit scheduled for next week, where discussions are anticipated to largely focus on matters concerning the Middle East.
On Sunday evening, Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel declared his nation’s official recognition of the State of Palestine, adding Portugal to an expanding roster of countries that have taken this step.
Following Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, Portugal becomes the fourth country to affirm its recognition of Palestine on this day.
“We have no reservations about our desire for peaceful, productive relations with both states and, clearly, we hope Israel can comprehend our stance,” Rangel stated during a press conference on Sunday.
He further clarified that the action was not meant to be “against Israel,” but rather “in support of peace and the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.”
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has already commended Portugal for this decision, describing it as a “courageous move aligning with international law and United Nations resolutions, which strengthens ongoing endeavors to achieve peace and promote the two-state solution.”
Over 140 global leaders are set to gather for the annual United Nations General Assembly summit in New York next week, where discussions are anticipated to heavily feature the Israel-Palestine conflict. This summit, co-sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia, aims to reactivate the long-dormant two-state solution, envisioning an Israeli and a Palestinian state coexisting within secure and acknowledged borders.
Earlier in the month, the General Assembly passed a resolution with overwhelming support advocating for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. Washington and West Jerusalem were joined by merely eight other nations, including the isolated Pacific island states of Palau, Tonga, Micronesia, and Nauru, in opposing this measure.