Palestinian foreign minister says recognition brings independence, sovereignty closer

Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin said that countries recognising a Palestinian state this week were taking an irreversible step that preserved the two-state solution and brought Palestinian independence and sovereignty closer.

"It is a move bringing us closer to sovereignty and independence. It might not end the war tomorrow, but it's a move forward, which we need to build on and amplify," Shahin told reporters in Ramallah, referring to Israel's war on Gaza.

"This recognition is certainly not symbolic. It is a practical, tangible, irreversible step that countries must take if they are invested in preserving the two-state solution," Shahin said.