PALESTINIAN PRESIDENCY ‘ENCOURAGED’ BY FRANCE AND SWEDEN

Ramallah, 13 Dzulhijjah 1435/7 October 2014 (MINA) – The Palestinian presidency on Monday described as “encouraging” latest Swedish and French statements that the two countries would recognize the state of Palestine.

“These are encouraging steps,” Palestinian presidency spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeinah said.

“They serve the future of peace in Palestine and the region,” he added, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Earlier on Monday, French Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said that there was an “urgent” necessity to move ahead with the two-state solution, which requires mutual recognition and the will of both Israel and the people of Palestine to co-exist peacefully.

“This is the solution that the international community supports,” he was quoted by French media as saying.

His statements come hard on the heels of statements by Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Loefven that his country would recognize the state of Palestine.

Abu Rudeinah said Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the stated positions of both France and Sweden.

“Recognizing a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital is the only path toward security and stability in the whole region,” Abu Rudeinah said in the press release.

He called on other countries to follow in the footsteps of both France and Sweden by adopting similar “courageous” positions.

“We are still astonished by some countries that still move against the logic of history and a successful peace process that paves the road for the return of security and stability to this restive region,” Abu Rudeinah said.

Last week, the Palestinian presidency distributed a draft resolution for ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories by November 2016 to the representatives of the 15 member states of the United Nations Security Council.(T/P008/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)