Overview

• Prime Minister Luís Montenegro announced formal talks with President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and the Portuguese Parliament on granting Palestine statehood.
• The consultations are set to conclude ahead of the UN General Assembly’s high-level week in September, when recognition could be finalized.
• Portugal joins Spain, Ireland, Norway and Slovenia and follows pledges from France, the United Kingdom and Canada to extend formal recognition.
• Officials cite multiple international contacts and an IPC report describing Gaza’s situation as “alarming and deadly” alongside fears of Israeli annexation.
• While largely symbolic, Europe’s wave of recognitions seeks to revitalize the two-state solution and intensify diplomatic pressure on Israel.