Italian parliament
Italian parliamentThinkstock

The Italian parliament was set on Thursday to vote on a non-binding bill calling for the recognition of a Palestinian state, but postponed the vote reportedly under pressure from Israel, reports i24news.

The motion is understood to be similar to the one put forth in other European countries in recent months.

The Italian version of the bill was proposed by MPs from the Left Ecology Freedom Party and the Socialist Party and it is also expected to be backed by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party, according to i24news.

The bill urges such recognition as a step towards restarting negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Italy’s move comes months after British lawmakers voted overwhelmingly on October 13 in favor of a non-binding motion to "recognize the state of Palestine". Sweden announced on October 30 it officially recognized the state of "Palestine". Spanish lawmakers have also adopted a motion calling on the government to recognize a Palestinian state.

A similar vote is planned in Belgium, where legislators are working on a resolution to recognize a Palestinian state, though the government said last week any timing to proceed will depend on European Union action.

In December, Portugal's parliament adopted a resolution calling on the government to recognize a Palestinian state, though Portugal's Foreign Minister Rui Machete said after the vote the government "will choose the moment best suited" to recognize the Palestinian state.

The Palestinian Authority estimates that 135 countries have now recognized “Palestine” as a state, although that number is disputed.