LISBON: Portugal will officially recognize a Palestinian state on Sunday, Lisbon’s foreign ministry said on Friday, ahead of a UN General Assembly where around 10 other countries are set to follow suit.
Britain, Canada and France are among the other Western nations planning to give a Palestinian state recognition at the assembly, which comes as Israel’s campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip grinds on.
Lisbon had already announced in July that it intended to do so given the “extremely worrying evolution of the conflict,” as well as the humanitarian crisis and Israel’s repeated threats to annex Palestinian land.
“The ministry of foreign affairs confirms that Portugal will recognize the State of Palestine... the official declaration of recognition will be made on Sunday, September 21,” a statement on the ministry’s website said.
Israel has fiercely criticized plans for Palestinian recognition, arguing that it rewards Hamas for its October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the war in Gaza.
