Portugal preparing to recognize Palestine as soon as next September, FM says

Portugal is preparing to recognize a Palestinian state as early as next September, Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel told Portuguese news site SIC on Thursday, Report informs via The Jerusalem Post.

The country will join 14 others that reached the decision on Tuesday morning, with each deciding on different requirements for the recognition.

Rangel claimed that the conversation about recognition had been going for some time, and the countries had been preparing for the announcement “when appropriate.”

According to the minister, these countries had been “in contact for a long time ” to prepare for this recognition, “when appropriate."

"This was agreed upon by all of us. President Macron doesn't decide alone, and we follow suit," Rangel claimed. "It's a matter we're deciding together.

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana denounced plans to recognize a Palestinian state during his speech at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva on Wednesday.

“If you want a Palestinian state, build it in London or Paris,” Ohana told the participants.