Growing support in the West encourages Portugal to acknowledge the statehood of Palestine.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine has taken a significant turn as Western nations, including Portugal, Britain, Canada, France, and several others, have announced their intentions to recognize the State of Palestine. This coordinated recognition effort represents a significant diplomatic shift, as these nations reassess their positions in response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The crisis was sparked by Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023, which led to a wave of Israeli military operations against the group. The United Nations has repeatedly warned of catastrophic conditions in Gaza, where these operations have displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and severely damaged civilian infrastructure.
The Portuguese government had signaled its intentions in July, citing growing humanitarian concerns in Gaza. Official Israeli threats to annex Palestinian territory were also factors influencing Portugal's decision. The upcoming recognition by Portugal is scheduled for Sunday, September 21.
France, Andorra, Australia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and San Marino are among the other nations planning to recognize Palestine as a state. This recognition comes as Israel's military campaign against Hamas in Gaza continues.
Israel strongly opposes the recognition efforts by these nations, arguing that it rewards Hamas for launching the deadly attack that triggered the current war. However, the deteriorating conditions in Gaza have prompted even some of Israel's traditional allies to reconsider their positions on Palestinian statehood.
The upcoming UN General Assembly will focus extensively on the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, reflecting growing international urgency around finding a diplomatic resolution to the crisis. Great Britain, Canada, and France declared their intention to recognize the Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly on September 23, 2023.
The timing of these announcements, clustered around the UN General Assembly, suggests careful diplomatic coordination aimed at maximizing international pressure for a negotiated settlement. Approximately three-quarters of the UN's 193 member nations already recognize the State of Palestine. The addition of Portugal and other Western nations would bring the total closer to 80 percent of UN membership, significantly strengthening Palestinian diplomatic standing.
This shift in European diplomatic positioning on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a significant development in the long-standing conflict. It remains to be seen how Israel will respond and whether these recognition efforts will contribute to finding a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
