St. Vincent and the Grenadines has officially recognized an independent Palestinian State.{{more}}

The official Palestine News and Info Agency (WAFA) reported that the Palestinian Mission at the United Nations received on the evening of Monday, August 29, the official letter of recognition.

The official letter was sent by St. Vincent and the Grenadines envoy to the United Nations, and was handed to the Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, WAFA reported.

It stated that the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines officially recognizes Palestine as an independent and sovereign state.

The official Palestine News and Info Agency, WAFA, reported that this decision is coherent with the historic stances of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in its support of the legitimate Palestinian cause, and the aspirations for independence.

The letter also stated that St. Vincent and the Grenadines hopes that this will help in increasing the number of countries that recognize Palestine, and in ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by achieving a real and a comprehensive peace agreement.

So far, 126 countries around the world have officially recognized the Palestinian state, the Palestinian right to independence and self-determination.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who initiated an extensive international campaign in this regard, thanked St. Vincent and the Grenadines, its officials and leaders.

The Palestinian Authority intends to seek UN recognition of statehood and a full UN membership this September, and initiated a worldwide campaign to garner support to its move.

Israel considers the move as counterproductive and an effort to avoid direct talks with Tel Aviv. It voiced strong condemnations against it, in addition to threatening to isolate the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.

The United States is waving its veto power to topple the UN vote, especially since it is expected to be in favour of the Palestinian move.