Europe ready to recognize Palestine as a state

European Union (EU) member states are ready to recognize Palestine as a state. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said there are "clear indications" in this regard. Reuters reported this information on Friday (April 12).

According to Euro News, the Spanish prime minister recently launched a diplomatic campaign to garner support for Palestinian statehood. He also discussed this issue after meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr in Oslo on Friday.

After the meeting, Sanchez said that EU member states are ready to recognize Palestine as a state. There are 'clear indications' in this regard.

Meanwhile, European Council President Charles Michael said European countries willing to recognize Palestine as a state must move forward together. Only then will 'significant progress' be made in peace-building in the war-torn region.

Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and Malta launched a campaign last month to formally recognize Palestine as a sovereign state. Speaking to reporters in Brussels this week, Michael said other like-minded countries outside the EU could join the initiative.

Nine EU member states - including Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Sweden - have already formally recognized the Palestinians' right to statehood. The EU's position in this regard is that they will recognize Palestine as a state only as a condition for a two-state solution.

According to Michael, joint recognition by member states could give the EU more leverage to pressure both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to bring about the reforms needed to make a two-state solution possible.

Spain is in the lead

A spokesman for the Spanish government said last Tuesday that the Spanish Prime Minister will meet with the leaders of Norway, Ireland, Portugal, Slovenia and Belgium to discuss the situation in Gaza and the recognition of the Palestinian state. This discussion will be held before the conference of EU 27 members in Brussels next Wednesday.

Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez has been leading efforts to toughen the EU's stance on Israel since the start of the war in Gaza. He indicated that Spain could recognize Palestine as a state by next July.

His efforts have already received a lot of support. Belgian ministers have confirmed they are also ready to support the recognition of a Palestinian state comprising the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.

Earlier, Australia also hinted at recognizing Palestine as a state.