STARSBOURG/ FRANCE, September 29, 2011 (WAFA) – The European Parliament (EP) Thursday adopted a resolution regarding the situation in Palestine, in which it stressed the legitimacy of the Palestinian bid to United Nations, according to a press release by Palestinian delegation to the EP.

EP called upon the European Union member countries to adopt a unified position supporting the Palestinian bid, said the release.

EP Acknowledged and welcomed the success of state-building efforts of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, which have been supported by the EU and endorsed by various international actors, stressing the right of Palestinians to self-determination and to have their own state as it is the right of Israel to exist within safe borders.

It confirmed its support for the two-state solution with the State of Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous and viable State of Palestine living side by side in peace and security, called for the resumption of direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, and declared that no changes to the pre-1967 borders, with Jerusalem as the capital of two states.

It called on the Israeli Government to stop all constructions and extensions of the settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

It stressed that peaceful and non-violent means are the only way to achieve a sustainable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

It also stressed that all steps that may undermine the prospects of a negotiated agreement should be avoided and that no changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties should be accepted.

It called on Member States to be united in addressing the legitimate demand of the Palestinians to be represented as a state at the United Nations as a result of negotiations to be concluded during this 66th session of the UN General Assembly.

 The EP called on the international community, including the EU and its Member States, to reconfirm their strong commitment to the security of the State of Israel.

The Palestinian Ambassador to the EU Laila Shaheed praised the EP position that supports the Palestinian bid to UN.

“The EP proved that it is the voice of the European people, who supported the Palestinian bid through the ‘one million signature’ petition campaign, opinion polls and the supportive rallies which were organized all over Europe on September 21, based on the National Campaign, “Palestine: State No. 194”.

Member of the socialist group of the European Parliament, Véronique De Keyser, affirmed his group’s support of the Palestinian bid, stressing Palestine’s right to a full membership at the UN after 63 years from the accession of Israel and 12 years after the EU's Berlin Declaration in March 1999, which included a commitment to support the creation of a Palestinian state in the context of permanent status talks with Israel.

“Europe cannot tell the Palestinian people that this Arab spring is not also theirs,” she said.

During talks with European Union foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, one of the leading French members of the EU Parliament and chairman of the group of the greens, affirmed his group’s support of the Palestinian bid and criticized the weakness of the European position.

T.R./F.R.