"With this important step, we want to contribute to relaunching a political process that puts an end to violence and brings a future of security and prosperity to the Middle East", added Sánchez, on his social network X account (former Twitter).

Pedro Sánchez announced in his appearance today in the Congress of Deputies that the Spanish Council of Ministers will approve the recognition of Palestine as a State by Spain on May 28, in a coordinated action with Ireland and Norway.

In a statement released today, Mahmud Abbas had already congratulated the recognition of the Palestinian State by Spain, Ireland and Norway, a decision that he considers contributes to "the consecration of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination in their land".

It also contributes "to the adoption of real measures to support the implementation of the two-state solution", he added.

The announcement made today by Spain, Ireland and Norway that they will recognize the State of Palestine on May 28 occurs in the midst of the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which has been going on for over seven months.

Hamas has controlled Gaza since 2007, after expelling Abbas' Fatah party from the territory, which governs the West Bank.

For Abbas, the decision announced today "is a contribution from the countries that believe that the two-state solution is an option that represents the will and international legitimacy".

"It is consistent with the principles of International Law, which recognizes the right of peoples to free themselves from colonialism and oppression and to live in freedom, justice and independence", he defended, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

The Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Hussein al-Sheikh, also considered it to be "a historic moment, after long decades of Palestinian national struggle, suffering, pain, occupation, racism, murder, oppression, abuse and destruction".

"We thank the countries of the world that have recognized and will recognize the independent State of Palestine. We affirm that this is the path to stability, security and peace in the region", he said.

Founded in 1964 and led by Yasser Arafat from 1968 until his death in 2004, the PLO brought together different Palestinian movements, including Arafat's own Fatah party.

Following the 1993 Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement, the Palestinian National Authority was created, headquartered in Ramallah, in the West Bank.

Mahmud Abbas, currently 89 years old, has been president of the Palestinian Authority since January 2005, after a brief period in which the position was held on an interim basis by Rawhi Fattuh, after Arafat's death in November of the previous year.

Today's announcement means that Palestine will be recognized by 11 member states of the European Union, as Spain and Ireland will join Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Slovakia.

In the United Nations, 137 of the organization's 193 members have already unilaterally recognized the State of Palestine, according to the Palestinian National Authority.

Read also: Palestine as a State? "This is not the right time. When it is, it will be" (Portuguese version)