Guatemala has recognized Palestine as a state, which it believes will help bring about a peace agreement with Israel.Several Latin American countries have recognized a sovereign state of Palestine in the last two years.The Guatemala's president's office said in a statement on Tuesday that it decided to "recognize the State of Palestine as a free, sovereign and independent state" in order to "gain new momentum" in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process."The decision in no way alters Guatemala's long tradition of friendship and cooperation with the State of Israel, a relationship the Guatemalan government highly values," the statement added.
(photo credit: The Jerusalem Post)