The process is expected to conclude in September, coinciding with the United Nations General Assembly.

On Thursday, Portugal’s Foreign Ministry announced that President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will begin consultations with political parties to evaluate the recognition of the State of Palestine.

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The process is expected to conclude in September, coinciding with the United Nations General Assembly. That timeline aligns with similar announcements made this month by France, the United Kingdom, Canada and Malta, all of which have indicated their intention to recognize the Palestinian state—a step already taken by other European countries such as Spain, Ireland and Norway.

The Portuguese government said it had “reassessed” the issue and the conditions for recognition in coordination with other countries during the International High-Level Conference on the Peaceful Resolution of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, held July 28–30 in New York.

It added that, in light of numerous discussions on the matter, “it can be established” that many countries with which Portugal has aligned its position have shown a willingness to begin the process of recognition, given the assurances presented by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).

The statement also cited other factors influencing the decision, including the openness of “a significant number” of Arab countries to recognize and normalize relations with Israel, and the “highly concerning” developments in the conflict, both in humanitarian terms and due to Israel’s repeated references to the potential annexation of Palestinian territories.

Meanwhile, Israel continues its campaign of extermination against the Palestinian population living in Gaza. On Wednesday, the Israeli occupation forces killed at least 86 people who were seeking humanitarian aid at different points in the Gaza Strip.

Sixty of the murdered Palestinians were registered at Al Shifa Hospital after they went to the Zikim crossing, in the northwest of the enclave, to try to obtain some of the supplies brought in by the few aid trucks entering the territory these days.

Another 22 deaths were registered at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, and four more in the center of the enclave, where a food distribution point of the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) is located.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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