Sweden officially recognized the state of Palestine on Thursday, Stockholm’s foreign minister said

Sweden officially recognized the state of Palestine on Thursday, Stockholm's foreign minister said, less than a month after the government announced its intention to make the move.

"Today the government takes the decision to recognize the state of Palestine," Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said in a statement published in the Dagens Nyheter daily. "It is an important step that confirms the Palestinians' right to self-determination," she said, adding that "we hope that this will show the way for others."

Sweden's new Prime Minister Stefan Loefven announced in his inaugural address to parliament in early October that his country would become the first EU member in western Europe to recognize a Palestinian state.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Thursday hailed Sweden's decision to recognize the state of Palestine, his spokesman told AFP. "President Abbas welcomes Sweden's decision," Nabil Abu Rudeina told AFP, saying the Palestinian leader described the move as "brave and historic".

Abbas called for other countries to follow Sweden's lead. "All countries of the world that are still hesitant to recognise our right to an independent Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, with east Jerusalem as its capital, (should) follow Sweden's lead," his spokesman quoted him as saying.

While the Palestinians cheered the move, Israel summoned Sweden's ambassador to protest and express disappointment.

The United States cautioned Sweden against recognition, calling it "premature" and saying the Palestinian state could only come through a ‘negotiated solution’ between Israelis and Palestinians.

In Thursday's announcement, Sweden's foreign minister said that "the government considers that international law criteria for recognition of a Palestinian state have been fulfilled."