RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Friday welcomed a decision by Armenia’s government to recognize the state of Palestine, the Kingdom’s foreign ministry said in a statement. It stressed that this “decision is an important step that supports the path of establishing an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.” Earlier on Friday, Armenia announced that it was recognizing the state of Palestine becoming the latest nation to do so during the war in Gaza, saying it was “genuinely interested in establishing long-term peace and stability in the Middle East.” Three-quarters of the 193 UN member nations have recognized the state of Palestine, with Spain, Ireland and Norway taking the decision last month, stating that they saw the move as a step toward peace in the region. The ministry renewed the Kingdom’s call to the international community, especially the permanent members of the UN Security Council that have not recognized the state of Palestine, to move forward toward recognition “in a way that supports the two-state solution and strengthens the foundations of international peace and security,” it said. Palestinians believe that the recognitions confer international legitimacy on their struggle, especially as Israel’s war against Hamas, now in its ninth month, faces growing international criticism over the campaign of systematic destruction in Gaza and a huge cost in civilian lives. (With AFP and AP)