Finland has joined 14 other countries in signing a joint declaration urging states to recognise or consider recognising Palestine. The move has drawn internal political disagreement, with some coalition parties claiming they were not consulted.

Together with our international partners, we are sending a clear and strong message: peace in the Middle East is essential to ending human suffering,' says Finnish foreign minister - Anadolu Ajansı

Malta told a high-level U.N. meeting that it will formally recognize the state of Palestine in September, joining France and the United Kingdom in stepping up pressure to end the nearly 80-year Israeli-Palestinian conflict.