BRUSSELS, December 17, 2014 (WAFA) – The European parliament and the parliament of Luxembourg Wednesday mirrored several other European counterparts and recognized the State of Palestine in yet another symbolic move toward a lasting peace.
Members of the EU parliament voted 498 to 88 in favor of the motion, while members of the Luxembourg parliament voted 34 to three in favor, with 23 abstaining from the vote.
“The parliament of Luxembourg, as have other European parliaments of neighboring countries requested, urges its government to recognize the state of Palestine,” a statement issued by the Parliament of Luxembourg said.
This move came in the aftermath of the Swedish vote earlier in October to officially recognize the state of Palestine, making it the 135th country to do so.
The parliaments of UK, France, Portugal, Ireland and Belgium have also symbolically recognized the state of Palestine.
The Palestinian issue has been gaining worldwide support aiming to jump-start the stalled peace process in light of international frustration with Israel’s latest actions in the Palestinian Territory and lack of compliance with international law.
The EU decided to launch a “Parliamentarians for Peace initiative aiming at bringing together cross-party Members of European, Israeli and Palestinian Parliaments to help advance an agenda for peace and to complement EU diplomatic efforts.”
The joint motion for a resolution obtained by WAFA underlined that “settlements are illegal under international law” and called on both parties to “refrain from any action which may undermine the viability and the prospects of the two-state solution.”
Meanwhile, PLO Executive Committee Member, Nabil Shaath, welcomed the European parliament’s decision, considering it a ‘historical move’. He said this move proves that the political stance toward the Palestinian issue has changed in the European arena.
Shaath praised the role of Political European factions, particularly the Socialist, European Left and Greens, in support of the Palestinian question despite of Israel’s constant attempts to foil their moves.
The EU parliament’s decision also denounced the Israeli continued settlement construction, which it emphasized is illegal under international law, affirming their utmost support to the two-state solution based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital of the state of Palestine.
It further warned from the repercussions of the ongoing accelerated violence against holy sites in Jerusalem, which it said threatens to turn the current political conflict into a religious one.
T.R/M.H
