Spanish parliament plans symbolic Palestine vote

After other European states hold similar non-binding votes, opposition motion appears to have support from governing conservatives

By AFP, AP and ToI Staff 14 November 2014, 3:46 am

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The Congress of Deputies of Spain in session. (public domain, Wikimedia Commons)

Spain’s parliament plans to hold a largely symbolic vote next week on a resolution to recognize a Palestinian state.

The non-binding resolution, presented by the Socialist opposition party, will be debated in parliament on Tuesday, and it appears the governing conservatives will support it.

It would follow moves in other European countries intended to increase pressure for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Britain and Ireland approved similar motions last month. Sweden’s new left-leaning government went a step further and officially recognized a Palestinian state on Oct. 30, prompting a strong protest from Israel, which swiftly withdrew its ambassador from Stockholm.

The efforts in Europe reflect growing international impatience with Israel’s nearly half-century control of the West Bank, east Jerusalem and its blockade of the Gaza Strip.

French lawmakers will vote on November 28 on a proposal by the Socialist Party urging the government to recognize Palestine as a state, a parliamentary source said Wednesday.

The non-binding but highly symbolic vote would follow a similar vote in the British parliament and Sweden’s formal recognition of the state of Palestine.

A draft of the proposal states that the lower house National Assembly “invites the French government to use the recognition of the state of Palestine as an instrument to gain a definitive resolution of the conflict.”

France will “obviously at a certain moment recognize the Palestinian state,” Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told AFP on Saturday.

“The question is when and how? Because this recognition must be useful for efforts to break the deadlock and contribute to a final resolution of the conflict,” added Fabius.

There was no immediate response from the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, arrives at the Elysee palace to attend a meeting on October 13, 2014, in Paris. (photo credit: AFP/THOMAS SAMSON) — French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius arrives at the Elysee palace in Paris to attend a meeting, October 13, 2014. (photo credit: AFP/Thomas Samson)

British lawmakers voted overwhelmingly on October 13 in favor of a non-binding motion to “recognize the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel as a contribution to securing a negotiated two-state solution.”

Sweden announced on October 30 it officially recognized the state of Palestine, a move criticized by Israel and the United States.

The Palestinian Authority estimates that 134 countries have now recognized Palestine as a state, although the number is disputed and several recognitions by what are now European Union member states date back to the Soviet era.