The Swedish government has become the first member of the European Union to officially recognise the state of Palestine.
The recognition was given on Thursday, reports the Time.
On October 3, the newly elected Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven announced the move in his swearing-in ceremony.
“Some will claim that today’s decision comes too early. I’m rather afraid it’s too late,” writes Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom in the Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter. “The past year, we’ve seen how the peace negotiations once again have halted, how decisions on new settlements on occupied Palestinian land have obstructed a two-state solution and how violence has returned to Gaza.”
The move was publicly protested by Israel.
A total of 134 other countries recognised Palestine before Sweden. However, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia gave the recognition before joining the EU.
