During a meeting of the European Council in Brussels, Spain, along with Ireland, Malta, and Slovenia, has agreed to initiate efforts towards recognizing a Palestinian state, announced Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday.
Sanchez, representing Spain, indicated that the recognition process is expected to unfold during the current legislative term, which commenced last year. The agreement was reached following discussions between Sanchez and his counterparts from Ireland, Malta, and Slovenia during the Council meeting.
According to a joint statement issued by Ireland after the meeting, the leaders emphasized the necessity of a two-state solution for achieving lasting peace and stability in the region. They reiterated the vision of Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting peacefully alongside each other.
This development aligns with the consensus reached at a meeting in Spain last November, where Arab states and the European Union affirmed the two-state solution as the resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Notably, since 1988, 139 out of 193 United Nations member states have extended recognition to Palestinian statehood.