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Portugal’s government says it will consult the country’s main political parties and President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa about potential recognition of a Palestinian state, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro said on Thursday.
Portugal has diverged from neighbouring Spain, who recognised Palestinian statehood last year, saying it wanted to work on a common EU position first.
Ireland and Norway chose to recognise a Palestinian state in 2024 around the same time as Spain.
The announcement from Lisbon comes after a series of diplomatic switches regarding Palestine’s status.
French President Emmanuel Macron said last week that his country plans to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, making it the first major Western country to do so.
That announcement was followed by the UK, Canada and Malta, but under certain conditions.
Those announcements come amid rising global outrage over the way Israel is fighting the war against Hamas in Gaza.
“The government decided to promote consultations with the president and the political parties represented in parliament with a view to consider the recognition of the Palestinian state in a process that could be concluded…at the UN General Assembly in September,” Montenegro said in a statement.
Around 144 of the UN’s 193 member states recognise Palestine as a state, including most of the global south.
But only a handful of the 27 European Union member countries do, mostly former Communist countries like Romania and Bulgaria.
The announcements to recognise a Palestinian state have been met with outrage from Israel, who has accused these countries of rewarding terrorism and undermining efforts to secure the release of the hostages still being held in Gaza.
Additional sources • AP
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