The four leaders gathered on the margins of a summit in Brussels on Friday to discuss their «readiness to recognise Palestine,» adding they stand ready to do so «when it can make a positive contribution and the circumstances are right.»
«We are agreed that the only way to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region is through implementation of a two-state solution, with Israeli and Palestinian States living side-by-side, in peace and security,» a joint statement by the four heads of government reads.
Nine of the EU’s 27 member states currently recognise Palestinians’ right to a state according to the so-called 1967 borders, which includes the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.
Malta, along with eastern states such as Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia, have recognised the Palestinians’ right to statehood since 1988. In 2014, Sweden became the first member state to unilaterally recognise Palestinians’ right to statehood while a member of the bloc.
Although the European Union supports the so-called two-state solution — which would deliver statehood for Palestinians — and is the single biggest donor of aid to Palestinians, it has not yet unanimously backed the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, both Ireland and Spain have repeatedly expressed readiness to recognise Palestine, and spearheaded efforts to toughen the EU’s stance on Israel in response to the excessive loss of life in Gaza.
Last November, Sánchez vowed that his newly formed government would make the recognition of Palestinian statehood its main priority in terms of foreign policy.
In February, Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also confirmed a group of member states were in talks to formally recognise Palestine to enable “a more equal negotiation to happen” when the war raging in Gaza comes to an end.
This article was corrected to clarify that Malta has not yet recognised a Palestinian state, but rather the concept of Palestinian statehood.
