REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, RAMALLAH -- PLO Executive Committee Member, Hanan Ashrawi, said the Portuguese parliament?s vote in favor of recognizing Palestine as an independent state is 'a step in the right direction for peace.'

In a statement issued by the PLO Executive Committee Department of Culture and Information on Sunday, She expressed hope that the Portuguese government would follow suit and officially recognize Palestine on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital.

Ashrawi said Palestinians hope the Portuguese government will "work to end the military occupation by holding Israel accountable with punitive measures for its flagrant violations of international law and Palestinian human rights."

"On behalf of the Palestinian leadership and the people of Palestine, we express our appreciation to the Portuguese parliament for taking a principled stand and overwhelmingly voting to recognize the State of Palestine," said the statement.

The Portuguese parliament is the fifth European assembly to recognize the State of Palestine after the UK, Ireland, France and Belgium.

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