Conditions for a process to recognise a Palestinian State

1. Under the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution held at the United Nations in New York from 28 to 30 July 2025, the Portuguese State, together with a number of other countries, re-examined the question and the conditions for the recognition of a Palestinian State.

2. Due to the multiple contacts made, it was seen that many of the States with which Portugal has been aligning its position on the matter showed they are available to initiate the procedure to recognise a Palestinian State, given:

• the assurances presented by the Palestinian Authority

• the provision of the recognition and normalisation of relations with Israel by a significant number of Arab States

• the conflict’ worrying escalation, whether the humanitarian dimension or the repeated allusion made to the annexation of Palestinian territories.

3. The Portuguese Government, through the Prime Minister, explained in Parliament the prerequisites or conditions to initiate a recognition process, more than once. The first one was alignment with a series of countries with which we have had permanent dialogue, and which actively took part in the conference. Furthermore, the conditions met by the Palestinian Authority, having been verified due to the guarantees presented and validated by the States which attended the conference, to wit: 

I. Condemning terrorist acts by Hamas and demanding their full disarming

II. Demanding the unconditional and immediate release of the Gaza refugees and prisoners

III. Commitment to undergo an internal institutional reform and holding elections in a near future

IV. Accepting the principle of a demilitarised Palestinian State, whose foreign security is ensured by international forces

V. Readiness to resume the administration and full control of Gaza, with the Hamas withdrawing

VI. Recognising the State of Israel and necessary security guarantees.

4. In conclusion to the Portugal’s active participation in this conference and the abovementioned conditions being verified, the Government has decided to listen to His Excellency the President of the Republic and the political parties represented in Parliament with a view to considering recognising the Palestinian State in a procedure that may be concluded during the High-Level Week of the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations to be held in new York in September.