Norway's parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution calling on the government to be ready to recognise an "independent" Palestinian state, in a new sign of Europe's anxiety over the Gaza war.
The proposition was made by Norway's ruling coalition to counter a resolution by smaller parties calling for an immediate recognition of a Palestinian state.
Passed with an overwhelming majority in parliament, it said the assembly "asks the government to be ready to recognise Palestine as an independent state when recognition could have a positive impact on the peace process, without making a final peace accord a condition."
The wording means that no recognition is likely in the immediate future but is a sign of the concern over the Gaza war in national assemblies across Europe.
Iceland, Sweden, Poland, Czech Republic and Romania are among countries to have already given legal recognition to a Palestinian state.
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, voted back into power on Thursday, told parliament that he would "work" towards recognition by his country and by Europe.
Since the Hamas October 7 attacks on Israel and Israel's military onslaught on Gaza since, there have been huge rallies in Britain and other countries in favour of the Palestinian cause.
Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and took 239 hostages when they crossed the border in the unprecedented attacks, according to Israel.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says that more than 11,500 people, mostly civilians and many of them children, have died in Israel's air and ground operation since.