ISTANBUL, Sept 20 — Portugal will officially recognise Palestine, becoming the latest country to take the step ahead of next week's United Nations (UN) General Assembly, Anadolu Ajansi reported.
"The Foreign Affairs Ministry confirms that Portugal will recognise the State of Palestine … the official declaration of recognition will be made on Sunday, September 21," it announced on its website on Friday, noting that the move comes before the high-level conference in New York.
Lisbon flagged its intentions in July, citing "the extremely worrying evolution of the conflict," the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and Israel's repeated threats to annexe Palestinian territory.
Other Western nations, including Belgium, France, and the UK, are expected to formally recognise Palestine during the assembly.
In July, French President Emmanuel Macron said that France would do so, while United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Keir Starmer indicated that the UK would act if Israel did not meet conditions aimed at improving Gaza's humanitarian situation.
Starmer said countries are "working together to end the humanitarian catastrophe in the Middle East," adding that the recognition's timing "has nothing to do with the state visit" of United States President Donald Trump, who noted he has "a disagreement with the Prime Minister on that score."
The UN gathering will focus on advancing a two-state solution to the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
UN investigators recently concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, where the death toll has surpassed 65,000.
Around three-quarters of UN member states already recognise Palestine, with Ireland, Spain, and Norway formalising recognition in 2024.
