Spain's Prime Minister, socialist Pedro Sánchez, made an institutional statement on Tuesday morning about the recognition of the State of Palestine, a step that will be formalized at the Council of Ministers.

"At today's meeting of the Council of Ministers, the Spanish Government will approve the recognition of the State of Palestine. Spain will thus join the more than 140 countries in the world that already recognize Palestine as a State. This is a historic decision with a single objective: To help Israelis and Palestinians achieve peace", he began by saying, in the statement broadcast from the Moncloa Palace, the headquarters of the Spanish Government, quoted by El País.

Sánchez clarified that it is not up to Spain to define the borders of other States, so the recognition of Palestine that the Council of Ministers will make today is based on the resolutions of the United Nations and the limits set in 1967, only recognizing changes if they are agreed between the parties.

"It is not a decision that we make against anyone", he added, assuring that "it is not just a matter of historical justice", but also the "only solution" to achieve peace.

The Prime Minister also stated that the Palestinian State must be "viable" with the West Bank and Gaza linked by a corridor and East Jerusalem as the capital - both territories unified under the "legitimate" government of the Palestinian National Authority. 

According to Sánchez, the recognition of the State of Palestine reflects Spain's "frontal and categorical rejection" of Hamas. "This decision reflects our frontal and resounding rejection of Hamas, which is against the two-state solution. Spain, as you know, has condemned from the outset and with full force the terrorist attacks of October 7 and this condemnation is our absolute commitment in our fight against terrorism", he added.

The Spanish Prime Minister also said that "from tomorrow" "every effort" will be made to "make the two-state solution a reality". 

El Gobierno de España aprueba hoy el reconocimiento oficial del Estado de Palestina.

España se suma así a los más de 140 países que ya reconocen a Palestina.

Se trata de una decisión histórica que tiene un único objetivo: contribuir a que israelíes y palestinos alcancen la paz.… pic.twitter.com/sjG1gXyXN6

— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) May 28, 2024

It should be recalled that the Government of Spain will formally recognize Palestine as a State this Tuesday and it is expected that Ireland and Norway will do the same from today, as the three countries announced last week.

"For justice, for coherence and for peace, Spain will recognize the existence of the Palestinian State on May 28", stressed the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, in a statement in the national parliament last Wednesday in which he confirmed that this step will be taken through a resolution approved by the Council of Ministers.

The Prime Ministers of Norway, Jonas Gahr Store, and Ireland, Simon Harris, also said on the same Wednesday that Oslo and Dublin would formally recognize Palestine on May 28.

Slovenia and Malta have said they are considering taking this step soon and joining Spain, Ireland and Norway.

More than 140 countries already recognize Palestine as a State, some of them members of the European Union (EU), such as Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, which took the step in 1988, before joining the European bloc.

Sweden did the same in 2014, fulfilling an electoral promise by the Social Democrats then in power.

Norway (which is not part of the EU), Spain and Ireland will join these countries at a time when Israel has been carrying out a military offensive in the Gaza Strip since October.

The conflict was triggered by the attack by the Islamist group Hamas on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023, which caused about 1,200 deaths and two hundred hostages, according to Israeli authorities.

Since then, Israel has launched an offensive in the Gaza Strip that has caused more than 36,000 deaths and a serious humanitarian crisis, according to Hamas, which has governed the Palestinian enclave since 2007.

[News updated at 08:00]

Read also: Spain, Norway and Ireland recognize the Palestinian State today (Portuguese version)