Next week, nine more nations—including France and the UK—will formally recognize Palestinian statehood.
Portugal has announced preparations to recognize a Palestinian state, joining the United Kingdom, France, Canada, and Australia.
The Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in a statement on Friday that the recognition would happen on Sunday, the day before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) holds a high-level discussion on Palestinian statehood.
The ministry posted a statement on its website stating, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs certifies that Portugal will recognize the State of Palestine.”
The announcement also said that the High-Level Conference would be held the week after the Official Declaration of Recognition, which is scheduled on Sunday, September 21st.
Before making the final decision, Portugal’s center-right Prime Minister Luis Montenegro spoke with the parliament and president, according to the country’s Correio da Manha newspaper.
Correio da Manha said that it was the conclusion of over 15 years of discussion in the parliament of the Western European nation, after the proposal’s first introduction by the Left Bloc political party in 2011.
worldwide outrage
Days after a historic UN investigation concluded that Israel’s attack on Gaza amounted to genocide, Portugal made its declaration.
There have been at least 165,925 injuries and 65,141 fatalities since Israel launched its offensive in October 2023. There are thought to be many more buried under the debris.
Citing the humanitarian catastrophe, Israel’s repeated threats to take Palestinian territory, and the “very disturbing course of the conflict,” the Portuguese government initially declared its decision to recognize Palestine as a state in July.
An advisor to French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that during the high-level summit it is co-organizing with Saudi Arabia in New York on Monday, Andorra, Australia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and San Marino would all recognize the State of Palestine with France.
The United Kingdom and Canada have also said that they plan to follow suit.
They will join the approximately 147 nations that, as of April this year, recognized Palestinian statehood, which accounts for 75% of the UN’s membership.
After the United States refused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a visa, Portugal was one of 145 nations that agreed on Friday to allow him to speak to the UNGA in New York next week via video.
Six nations abstained, while Israel, the US, Paraguay, Palau, and Nauru were the five nations who voted nay.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called France’s statement a “reckless choice” that “only promotes Hamas propaganda.” Israel and the US have harshly criticized nations that are recognizing Palestine.
Every nation that recognizes Palestine will see the establishment of a new illegal Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said last year.
Luxembourg is thinking about sanctions
Luxembourg plans to recognize Palestinian statehood at the UNGA, Prime Minister Luc Frieden and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel informed a parliamentary inquiry earlier this week.
According to RTL Letzebuerg, the country’s broadcaster, Bettel also said that he will present a law to parliament so that Luxembourg may implement further actions, such sanctions.
The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, has urged nations to do more to stop Israel’s attack on Gaza, including putting an arms embargo and penalties on the country.
The UNGA said that it would provide an Arab state forty-five percent of Palestine as part of its 1947 partition proposal.
With just 57 member states at the time, the UNGA was devoid of voting rights for dozens of colonial-era nations.