Finland’s President Alexander Stubb says he is ready to approve recognition of a Palestinian state if the government moves forward with and submits an official proposal.
“The decisions by France, the United Kingdom and Canada reinforce the trend towards recognizing Palestine as part of efforts to breathe new life into the peace process,” Stubb wrote on X.
He added, “If I receive a proposal to recognize the Palestinian state, I am prepared to approve it.”
Earlier, Stubb told the Finnish news agency STT that the recognition of Palestine has reached a point where Finland must make a choice.
“We have been discussing this difficult question since the beginning of October 2023. Now I myself see that the situation has progressed to the point where Finland must make its choice,” he said.
Stubb expressed optimism regarding Finland’s potential recognition of Palestine, emphasizing that such action would carry greater significance if it were part of a wider international initiative.
He underscored that such recognition should be directed towards facilitating the peace process and the proposed so-called two-state solution.
The president further condemned the atrocities committed by Israel in Gaza, saying that collective punishment and the suffering of civilians are “unacceptable.”
Portugal’s plan to recognize Palestine hailed
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday commended Portugal’s decision to initiate the recognition process of a Palestinian state this September, describing it as a significant move towards promoting a purported two-state solution.
“This is a positive and courageous decision by Portugal, one that strengthens the path toward peace and reflects the growing consensus of the international community,” Abbas said in a statement carried by the official WAFA news agency.
He called upon nations that have not yet recognized a Palestinian state “to take similar serious steps in support of peace.”
Many countries, including France and Canada, have pledged to recognize a Palestinian state at the 80th UN General Assembly in September.
Of the UN’s 193 member states, 148 currently recognize Palestine, first declared by the Palestinian leadership in exile in 1988.
On Monday, the Israeli human rights organizations B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel charged Israel with perpetrating genocide in Gaza, referencing the systematic devastation of Palestinian society and the intentional dismantling of the region’s healthcare infrastructure.
At least 60,332 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and another 148,870 individuals injured in the brutal Israeli onslaught on Gaza since October 7, 2023.