The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has welcomed the announcement by Ireland, Spain and Norway on recognising the state of Palestine, adding that it served as another milestone in the “decades-long quest of the people of Palestine for their inalienable right to self-determination”.

During a weekly press briefing, the foreign office said that the Gaza “genocide” and the dire humanitarian situation there have underlined the urgency of moving towards the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state.

“Palestine is now recognised by an overwhelming majority […] Time has therefore come to accord full membership to the State of Palestine at the United Nations […] We reiterate our call to the UN Security Council to positively respond to this growing international sentiment,” the foreign office said.