Portugal has officially recognized Palestine as a sovereign state. This was announced by the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Paulo Rangel, during a speech at the Portuguese mission to the UN in New York. The news was reported by the television channel SIC Noticias.
As explained by the head of Portugal's foreign policy department, the recognition followed a decision by the Council of Ministers on September 18. It was adopted after consultations that confirmed the alignment of views between the president and the overwhelming majority of parliamentary parties.
Rangel emphasized that Lisbon supports the two-state solution as the only path to a just and lasting peace in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
At the same time, the minister noted the "special friendship between the Portuguese and Israeli peoples." He also stated that Portugal condemns the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and demands that the group immediately release the hostages and return the bodies of deceased Israelis to their families.
Earlier, on September 21, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia announced their recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state. A number of other countries, including France, promised to make similar statements during the UN General Assembly session on September 22.