Sweden's Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom attends a news conference at the Rosenbad government building in Stockholm
Sweden's Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom attends a news conference at the Rosenbad government building in Stockholm October 30, 2014. Sweden's centre-left government will officially recognise the state of Palestine on Thursday, becoming the first major European country to do so, Wallstrom said. REUTERS/Annika AF Klercker/TT

Sweden gave official recognition to Palestine as a nation on Thursday, October 30. The formal declaration came from the newly appointed prime minister of the country.

Stefan Lofven did not pay heed to Israeli protests and continued a pledge which he had made during his inauguration earlier in October. The Swedish Foreign Ministry earlier posted on Twitter to confirm the declaration. The message said that the Swedish government "expressed hopes for peaceful coexistence between #Israel and #Palestine." According to Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom, the country hoped that it would continue its "excellent cooperation" with Israel. Wallstrom said that it would be decided in a "constructive way" in Jerusalem, The Associated Press reported.

While Israel may fear Sweden's move is going to influence other European nations to follow its path to recognise Palestine as a nation, the Palestinian authorities have welcomed Sweden's decision, according to the New York Times. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman issued a statement on Thursday saying Sweden's decision was unfortunate.

He added that recognising Palestine as a nation would only make Palestine even more obstinate. At the same time, the decision will make radical elements even stronger. He said that Sweden should understand that Middle East relations were "more complex than one of Ikea's flat-pack pieces of furniture."

Even though Lofven referred to the possibilities of such recognition during his swearing-in ceremony on October 3, he was not expected to make the decision so soon. Wallstrom, on the other hand, defended the prime minister by saying that, contrary to what people might call "early," the decision came "too late."

"The past year, we've seen how the peace negotiations once again have halted, how decisions on new settlements on occupied Palestinian land have obstructed a two-state solution and how violence has returned to Gaza," Time quoted Wallstrom.

Sweden is the first nation in the European Union to recognise Palestine. On the other hand, there are some other countries like Poland, Slovakia and Hungary which gave recognition to Palestine before they joined the EU. With Sweden, the number of countries all over the globe that recognise Palestine comes to 135.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au