Spanish media: Madrid will recognize the Palestinian state next July. Pedro Sanchez expects events in the conflict to unfold before the European Parliament elections in early June.
Sanchez said at a European Council meeting on March 22 that he agreed with the leaders of Ireland, Malta and Slovenia to “take the first steps” towards recognizing the state declared by the Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip. Since 1988, 139 of the 193 countries in the United Nations have recognized Palestinian statehood.