Spain to recognise a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as capital

MADRID - Spain will recognize a Palestinian state, including the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, unified under the Palestinian National Authority and with East Jerusalem as its capital, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Tuesday.

Sanchez made the remarks in a declaration prior to a Council of Ministers (cabinet) meeting, which is set to approve Spain's official recognition of Palestine's statehood.

"It's a historic decision, which has the only goal of helping Israelis and Palestinians achieve peace," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz, the leader of government coalition partner Sumar, also described the day as "historic". Meanwhile, she called for an arms embargo on Israel, saying recognizing Palestine was not enough.