Portugal Weighs Recognizing Palestinian State in September: PM
On Thursday, the office of Portugal's Prime Minister, Luis Montenegro, said that the government will hold consultations with the president and parliament to decide on the question of recognizing the State of Palestine at the UN in September, reported AFP.
In a statement, the Prime Minister's office said: 'Portugal is considering recognition of the Palestinian state, as part of a procedure that could be concluded during the high-level week of the 80th United Nations General Assembly, to be held in New York in September.'
Currently, 147 out of the 193 UN member states recognize the State of Palestine, which holds observer status at the UN. With this move, Portugal joins France, the UK, Canada and Malta, all of which announced they would formally recognize Palestine this September.
France was the first major Western power to announce the recognition plan. Few days later, the UK, Canada and Malta made their announcements at the High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France in New York.
Britain's move is conditional on a ceasefire in Gaza by September, while Canada's decision hinges on political changes by the Palestinian Authority.
Other European countries, such as Spain, Norway, Ireland, Slovenia, Armenia, recognized the Palestinian State in 2024. These recent announcements are driven by Saudi Arabia's intensive diplomatic efforts and a growing frustration with Israel's conduct of the war in Gaza, which has killed over 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, and caused one of the world's most catastrophic humanitarian crises.
Short link :
Post Views: 22
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Saudi Gazette
8 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Hamas says it will not disarm without fully sovereign Palestinian state
GAZA CITY — Hamas declared Saturday that it will not surrender its weapons unless an 'independent, fully sovereign' Palestinian state is established with Jerusalem as its capital, rejecting reports that it had agreed to demilitarize. The statement came after Israel's Haaretz newspaper published a recording attributed to U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff in which he reportedly said, 'Hamas has said that they are prepared to be demilitarized' and that a solution to end the war was 'very, very close.' 'Resistance and its weapons are a national and legitimate right as long as the occupation continues, a right recognized by international laws and conventions,' Hamas said on Telegram. 'Such rights cannot be relinquished except with the full attainment of our national rights.' Witkoff met families of Israeli hostages in Tel Aviv on Saturday, his third visit to Hostage Square since the war began, amid renewed calls for a ceasefire deal following the release of videos showing two emaciated Israeli captives. On Friday, Witkoff toured an aid center in southern Gaza run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), saying he aimed to give U.S. President Donald Trump 'a clear understanding of the humanitarian situation' to shape a plan for food and medical aid condemned the visit as a 'propaganda stunt' designed to deflect outrage over what UN officials and rights groups have described as Israel's systematic starvation Health Ministry says at least 169 Palestinians, including 93 children, have died from hunger-related causes since Oct. 7, calls for a ceasefire, Israel has continued its offensive in Gaza, which the ministry says has killed more than 60,000 people, most of them women and International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes, while Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice. — Agencies
Arab News
10 hours ago
- Arab News
Italy to begin airdrops over Gaza, foreign minister says
ROME: Italy said it would begin airdrops over Gaza, which UN-backed experts say is slipping into famine, the latest European country to do so. 'I have given the green light to a mission involving Army and Air Force assets for the transport and airdrop of necessities to civilians in Gaza, who have been severely affected by the ongoing conflict,' Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a statement. Italy's air force will work with Jordan's military to air drop special containers containing essential goods, he said. The first drops could come on Aug. 9, he said. Spain on Friday said it had airdropped 12 tonnes of food into Gaza, joining Britain and France, which have partnered with Middle Eastern nations to deliver sorely needed humanitarian supplies by air to the Palestinian enclave. The mission deployed 24 parachutes, each capable of carrying 500 kg of food, for a total of 12 tonnes — enough for 11,000 people, said Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares. Spain also has aid waiting to cross into Gaza by road from Egypt, the minister added in a video message posted on social network X, along with a video of the operation. 'The induced famine that the people of Gaza are suffering is a disgrace to all of humanity,' Albares said. 'Israel must open all land crossings permanently so that humanitarian aid can enter on a massive scale.' The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, warned that airdrops alone would not avert the worsening hunger. 'Airdrops are at least 100 times more costly than trucks. Trucks carry twice as much aid as planes,' he wrote on X. Although Israel has in recent days allowed more aid trucks into the Gaza Strip, aid agencies say Israeli authorities could do much more to speed up border checks and open more border posts. Concern has escalated in the past week about the situation in the Gaza Strip after more than 21 months of war.
Leaders
12 hours ago
- Leaders
Spain Airdrops 12 Tons of Food Aid into Famine-Hit Gaza
Spain announced on Friday it had airlifted 12 tons of food into Gaza amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave, according to AFP. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares revealed that the operation included the deployment of 24 parachutes, each carrying 500 kilos (1,100 pounds) of food—enough to feed 11,000 people. Albares stated that Spain also has humanitarian aid awaiting entry into Gaza via land routes from Egypt. 'The induced famine that the people of Gaza are suffering is a disgrace to all of humanity,' 'Israel must open all land crossings permanently so that humanitarian aid can enter on a massive scale,' Albares said. On Friday, France also began airdropping 40 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza on Friday and urged Israel to allow full access to the area amid a worsening starvation crisis, according to Reuters. 'Faced with the absolute urgency, we have just conducted a food airdrop operation in Gaza. Thank you to our Jordanian, Emirati, and German partners for their support, and to our military personnel for their commitment,' President Emmanuel Macron wrote on social media platform X. Last week, the Royal Jordanian Air Force and UAE Air Force C-130 aircraft successfully carried out three humanitarian airdrops full of food and basic necessities amid the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Dozens of Gazans including children have lost their souls due to malnutrition throughout the 21 months of war, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Related Topics: Trump's Envoy Visits GHF Aid Site as Gaza Starvation Crisis Deepens Italy Launches Critical Gaza Aid Drops as Famine Threat Looms Slovenia Imposes Arms Embargo on Israel Over Gaza Conflict Short link : Post Views: 80
