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

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

Seven EU members in eastern European and the Mediterranean have already recognised a Palestinian state -- Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta, Poland and Romania. Non-EU member Iceland is the only other western European nation to have done so.