Portugal, Malta to Recognize State of Palestine This Week

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - This week, the governments of Portugal and Malta are expected to officially recognize the State of Palestine. Portugal will announce on Sunday, September 21, 2025, as announced by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while Malta will follow suit a few days later.

"The ministry of foreign affairs confirms that Portugal will recognize the State of Palestine … the official declaration of recognition will be made on Sunday, 21 September," the ministry stated on Friday, as reported by Anadolu.

Portugal's move comes a day before the high-level conference on Gaza in New York.

Lisbon had indicated its intention in July, citing "increasingly worrying conflict developments," the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, and Israel's repeated threats to annex Palestinian territories.

On the same day, Malta officially conveyed to President Mahmoud Abbas its intention to recognize the State of Palestine at the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York next week.

Permanent Secretary of the Maltese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Christopher Cutajar, as reported by Malta Today, delivered a formal letter from Prime Minister Robert Abela to the Palestinian Ambassador to Malta, Fadi Hanania, reaffirming their country's decision to recognize the State of Palestine during the 80th UN General Assembly.

In the letter, as reported by Malta Today, Prime Minister Abela reiterated Malta's "steadfast support" for the rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people.

Abela also ensured that the Maltese government would formalize its recognition of the Palestinian state during the 80th UN General Assembly.

It is expected that other Western countries, including Belgium, France, and the United Kingdom, will officially recognize Palestine during the assembly.

The UN meeting will focus on efforts to advance a two-state solution to the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Previously, on July 25, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would officially recognize the State of Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer indicated that the UK will act if Israel does not meet the requirements aimed at improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Starmer stated that the countries are "working together to end the humanitarian disaster in the Middle East." He added that the timing of the recognition "has nothing to do with the state visit" of U.S. President Donald Trump, who stated disagreement with Starmer on the matter.

Subsequently, from July 28 to 30, a high-level international conference on Palestine was held in New York, with France and Saudi Arabia as co-chairs.

Following the conference, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a joint statement with foreign ministers from 15 Western countries, calling for the recognition of the Palestinian state.

So far, 147 countries, including Russia, have recognized the State of Palestine. In 2024, the United States vetoed Palestine's full membership in the United Nations (UN). In the same year, ten countries recognized Palestine, including Ireland, Norway, Spain, and Armenia.

As reported by Antara, Russia emphasized that the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved through a two-state solution approved by the UN. This scheme includes the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

A recent UN investigation concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, where the death toll has exceeded 65,000. Around three-quarters of UN member states have recognized Palestine, with Ireland, Spain, and Norway formalizing their recognition in 2024.

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