“We have to think seriously about doing it this semester,” Sánchez told a group of Spanish journalists accompanying him on a tour of three Middle East countries, the media reported.

Sánchez had said on March 9th he would propose that parliament vote in favour of this recognition by the end of the current legislature, that is, by mid-2027.

Then on March 22nd, Spain and three other nations – Ireland, Malta and Slovenia – issued a joint statement on the sidelines of a European Union leaders’ summit in Brussels saying they were “ready to recognise Palestine” once the conditions for the setting up of a state were met.

Acabo de visitar el campo de refugiados de Jabal al Hussein y observar el magnífico trabajo que se está realizando en la escuela para niñas de @UNRWA. La labor de @UN es fundamental e irremplazable.

Más de 2,4 millones de palestinos son atendidos por la Agencia de Naciones… pic.twitter.com/eqAX5iPCMP

— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) April 2, 2024

Top-selling daily Spanish newspaper El País said Madrid’s recognition of Palestinian statehood could happen during the campaign for the European Parliament elections, which in Spain will be held on June 9th, or “in the weeks that follow”.

The paper said Sánchez, who after Jordan will visit Saudi Arabia and Qatar, wants to “try to convince Arab countries that have not yet recognised Israel to do so”.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar do not recognise Israel.

Sánchez has repeatedly said the only solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the recognition of two states, Israel and Palestine.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose governing coalition includes extreme right and ultra-Orthodox parties, has long ruled out Palestinian statehood.