PORTUGUESE PARLIAMENT CALLS ON GOVT TO RECOGNIZE PALESTINE

Lisbon, 21 Shafar 1436/13 Desember 2014 (MINA) – The Portuguese parliament adopted Friday a recommendation calling on the government to recognize the Palestinian state, drawing votes from the majority and opposition.

The motion, filed jointly by the ruling center-right majority and the opposition Socialist party, proposes “recognizing, in coordination with the European Union, the state of Palestine as independent and sovereign,” Ma’an  quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The collapse of the latest U.S.-sponsored talks in April, along with Israel pressing on with building settlements in territory the Palestinians want for their state, triggered several European countries to review their position towards supporting an independent Palestinian state.

The Portuguese parliament’s move comes three days after the Irish government said it will accept a motion calling for recognizing Palestine as a state. The bill is said to be proposed next week by the opposition.

The latest steps follow that of Sweden, which became the biggest Western European country to recognize Palestine, and parliaments in Spain, Britain and France held votes in which they backed non-binding resolutions in favor of recognition.

Palestine’s Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said in a statement in response to the motion saying Palestinian diplomacy had achieved another victory.

He said the Palestinian leadership was pushing for more of such achievements.

Al-Maliki expressed his gratitude to Portugal and the Portuguese people for the recognition, thanking all parties.

The vote came after France’s upper and lower houses urged their government to recognize Palestine, as European countries sought alternative ways to restart the stalled Middle East process.(T/R05/R04)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)