ISTANBUL

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Saturday that he will propose recognition of a Palestinian state by 2027 to the lower half of Spain’s parliament.

"We will do it because of moral conviction, because it's a just cause, but also because it is the only way that two states – Israel and Palestine – can live together and co-exist in peace and security," he said on X.

As Sanchez’s mandate will end by 2027, he said he would push the Congress of Deputies to recognize a Palestinian state before that time.

Since the current Gaza conflict began last Oct. 7, Spain has stood out among European countries as showing the strongest support for Palestine, with Sanchez saying last November that Madrid could unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state even if the EU disagrees.