It marked the end of nearly 15 years of debate in the Western European country\u2019s parliament, Correio da Manha reported, after the proposal was first put forward by the country\u2019s Left Bloc political party in 2011.<\/p>\n
![\"People](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ap_68ce004a58343-1758330954.jpg\")
People carry a banner with the words \u2018Free Palestine\u2019 during a demonstration demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and in support of Palestinians, in Lisbon, Portugal, on April 7, 2024 [Armando Franca\/AP Photo]Global outcry<\/p>\n
Portugal\u2019s announcement\u00a0comes days after a landmark UN inquiry found<\/a> that Israel\u2019s war on Gaza amounts to a genocide.<\/p>\n At least 65,141 people have been killed and 165,925 wounded since Israel\u2019s onslaught began in October 2023. Many thousands more are believed to be buried under the rubble.<\/p>\n The Portuguese government first announced its intentions on recognising Palestine as a state in July, citing \u201cextremely worrying evolution of the conflict\u201d, as well as the humanitarian crisis and Israel\u2019s repeated threats to annex Palestinian land.<\/p>\n Earlier on Friday, an adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron said that Andorra, Australia<\/a>, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta and San Marino plan to recognise the State of Palestine alongside France at the high-level meeting it is co-organising with Saudi Arabia in New York on Monday.<\/p>\n Canada<\/a> and the United Kingdom<\/a> have also said they intend to do the same.<\/p>\n They will join some 147 countries, representing 75 percent of UN members, that had already recognised Palestinian statehood<\/a> as of April this year.<\/p>\n Portugal was also among 145 countries which voted on Friday<\/a> to create an option for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to address the UNGA in New York next week by video, after the United States denied him a visa.<\/p>\n Nauru, Palau, Paraguay, as well as Israel and the US, were the five countries that voted no, while six countries abstained.<\/p>\n Israel and the US have strongly criticised<\/a> countries moving to recognise Palestine, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio describing France\u2019s announcement as a \u201creckless decision\u201d that \u201conly serves Hamas propaganda\u201d.<\/p>\n