Fulfilling a pledge made earlier in the year, Uruguay has recognized an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.
The announcement was made to the Palestinian representative to Argentina, Walid Al-Mu''aqat, during a meeting with Uruguay''s President José Mujica and his Minister of Foreign Affairs Luis Almagro.
Mujica handed over documents to the representative, which formally recognized a Palestinian state under the UN resolutions 181 issued 29 November 1947, and 3236, issued 1947, and 242, issued in 1967.
The documents also state Uruguay''s continued support for a Middle East peace process, and express the hope of the South American nation that Israel and Palestine can live side by side in peace and security.
Uruguay''s timing stems fears that the grisly murder of five settlers Friday night, which was promptly blamed on Palestinian militants though no group has claimed the act, would damage Palestinian efforts for international recognition.
The state joins Guyana, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Suriname and Ecuador from south America, which have all recognized a Palestinian state in the last year. Cuba, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Venezuela had recognized a Palestinian state in the 1980s.
Cyprus, Russia and the African Union have also recognized a Palestinian state, but not with reference to the 1967 borders.
Almost a dozen European capitals have upped the status of their Palestinian representatives to full diplomatic mission, but the EU has said it will wait to recognize full statehood.