Several European Union member countries are set to recognize the independence of the Palestinian state by the end of May. This announcement was made by EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, during a special session of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh.

According to Al Arabiya, which cited Borrell, Spain, Ireland, Malta, and Slovenia had previously declared their intention to pursue the recognition of a Palestinian state in March jointly.

Earlier, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez emphasized that recognizing Palestine as a sovereign state aligns with the geopolitical interests of EU countries.

Israel has cautioned the initiative's leaders, led by Madrid, stating that their efforts could be seen as a "reward for terrorism" and could diminish the prospects of resolving the conflict through negotiations.