EU Parliament Adopts Compromise Resolution On Palestinian State

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Wednesday supporting Palestinian statehood in principle, in a compromise motion that did not follow some European national legislatures in backing immediate recognition of a Palestinian state.

Following a deal among the main parties, the motion carried by 498 votes to 88 stated: “[The European Parliament] supports in principle recognition of Palestinian statehood and the two-state solution, and believes these should go hand in hand with the development of peace talks, which should be advanced.”

Lawmakers on the left had originally wanted to urge the EU’s 28 member states to recognize Palestine now without conditions.

However, conservatives and centrists said recognition should only form part of a negotiated agreement with Israel.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nachshon said Wednesday that the solution to the Israel-Palestinian crisis will be found around the negotiating table, and not in one parliament or another.

Nachshon noted that the parliament stipulated that recognition of a Palestinian state needed to come as the result of negotiations.

Nevertheless, he said, “the very debate about the issue harms the chances of re-starting negotiations.”

This article appeared in print on page 6 of the December 18th, 2014 edition of Hamodia.