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Spanish PM intends to recognize Palestinian statehood by July – report

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The Palestinian Authority’s envoy to the UN said he intended to apply for full UN membership at the Security Council. 

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

During a tour of the Middle East, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez informed journalists that he intends to recognize a Palestinian state by July, according to reports by El Pais and La Vanguardia.

Sanchez made the remarks in Amman, kicking of his trip to Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

Following a European Council meeting in late March, the Spanish Prime Minister discussed with the heads of Ireland, Malta, and Slovenia plans to “take the first step” towards recognition of Palestinian statehood.

He added that, taking into consideration elections in the European Parliament taking place in June along with ongoing discussions in the United Nations, support for Palestinian statehood could reach a “critical mass” among nations.

Sanchez believed that recognition could happen during the tenure of the four-year EU legislature that began in 2023.

Israeli officials called the move by Ireland, Spain, Malta, and Slovenia is tantamount to giving the Palestinians “a prize for terrorism” and can interfere with ongoing negotiations to secure the release of Israeli hostages from Gaza.

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Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian Authority’s envoy to the UN told Reuters that he intended to apply for full UN membership at the Security Council.

An application the PA submitted in 2011 is still pending because there was no formal decision made by the 15-member council.

The PA sent a letter to Maltese diplomat Vanessa Frazier, who is currently serving as president of the 15-member council. That letter included the names of 140 countries that have recognized a Palestinian state.

In late March, Nearly one-third of the Democrats in the US Senate signed an open letter to President Joe Biden urging him to take “bold” steps towards establishing a Palestinian state.

Nineteen Democratic senators added their names to the text, which pushed Washington to publish a framework for a Palestinian state that will be unilaterally recognized by the U.S., regardless of Israel’s stance on the matter.