The government will hear from Marcelo and political parties about possible recognition of the Palestinian state.

Luís Montenegro announced this Thursday that he will consult with the President of the Republic and political parties on the possibility of recognizing the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

"The Government has decided to consult His Excellency the President of the Republic and the Political Parties represented in the Assembly of the Republic, with a view to considering the recognition of the Palestinian State, in a procedure that can be concluded during the High-Level Week of the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations, to be held in New York next September," reads a statement from the Prime Minister's office.

"From the multiple contacts that have taken place, it has been established that many of the states with which Portugal has agreed on positions on the matter have shown a willingness to begin the process of recognizing the Palestinian State," the Prime Minister added.

The decision follows assurances presented by the Palestinian Authority regarding the willingness of a significant number of Arab states to recognize and normalize relations with Israel, and the highly worrying evolution of the conflict, both in its humanitarian dimension and in the repeated allusion to the possibility of annexing Palestinian territories.

The demands made on the Palestinian Authority include "condemnation of Hamas's terrorist acts and the demand for its complete disarmament," "demanding the unconditional and immediate release of the Gaza hostages and prisoners," "commitment to internal institutional reform and the organization of elections in the near future," and "acceptance of the principle of a demilitarized Palestinian state, whose external security is guaranteed by international forces."

They also include “readiness to resume full administration and control of the Gaza Strip, with the departure of Hamas” and “recognition of the State of Israel and the necessary security guarantees.”