Ireland is close to formally recognizing a Palestinian State and would like to do so in concert with Spain and other like-minded countries, new Prime Minister, Simon Harris, said on Friday after meeting his Spanish counterpart, Middle East Monitor reports.

Spain and Ireland, long champions of Palestinian rights, last month announced, alongside Malta and Slovenia, that they would jointly work toward the recognition of a Palestinian state. The efforts come as a mounting death toll in Gaza from Israel’s offensive prompts calls globally for a ceasefire and lasting solution for peace in the region.

“Let me, this evening, say our assessment is that that point is coming much closer and we would like to move together in doing so,” Harris said after meeting Sanchez, the first premier to visit Dublin since Harris became prime minister this week.