Spain and Ireland will recognise the Palestinian state this month, Borrell says

In March, Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had said Spain and Ireland, along with Slovenia and Malta, had agreed to take the first steps towards recognising a Palestinian state alongside the Israeli state, underlining that the solution to two states is essential for long-term peace.

Asked by the Spanish radio RNE, if 21 May is the day Spain, Ireland and other member states would recognise a Palestinian state, Borrell said “po”, citing Slovenia as well.

This is a symbolic act of political nature. With much of the recognition of a state, this is about the will that that that state exists”, Borrell said, adding that Belgium and other countries will likely follow that step, as well.

Earlier, Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares had said his country had already decided to recognise a Palestinian state, but without telling when exactly.

Calls for a ceasefire and for a permanent end to the Palestinian-Israel conflict have increased, especially after the number of victims increased as a result of Israel's war on the Gaza Strip against Hamas the US and EU-declared terrorist group.

Israel has said plans to recognise Palestine constitute “assessment of terrorism” and that this would limit the possibilities for resolving the Gaza conflict through negotiations.

On Friday, the UN General Assembly is expected to support the Palestinians' request to become a full-fledged UN member state, and to submit it to the Security Council for “review of this issue positively”.

Ireland's state broadcaster, RTE, reported Thursday that Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and Malta have been awaiting the UN vote and that they have thought to recognise it together on 21 May.

Slovenia's Prime Minister Robert Golob said earlier this week his country will recognise Palestine's citizenship by mid-June.

Since 1988, 139 of the 193 UN member states have recognised Palestine's citizenship. / REL/