Sweden’s newly elected prime minister and a Social Democrat leader Stefan Loefven during his inaugural address in Parliament declared that his government will recognize the Palestinian state, becoming the first European Union member to do so.

The decision was taken in an effort to bolster a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Extending his support to Palestine, he said, “the conflict between Israel and Palestine can only be solved with a two-state solution, negotiated in accordance with international law. A two-state solution requires mutual recognition and the will to co-exist peacefully.”

The Nordic country has an influential voice in EU foreign policy so, the declaration assumes much importance. It may force other countries pay attention to the plight of the Palestinians in the wake of recent war-crimes by Israelis. What Palestinians demand is an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza, with its capital in East Jerusalem. While Gaza strip boundaries are clearly defined, the issue pertaining to the territory part that would constitute Palestine in the West Bank and East Jerusalem remains unresolved. It can only be determined via negotiations with Israel on a two-state solution, most European nations believe.

While Washington reacted quickly calling Stockholm’s recognition “premature”, Palestinians welcomed the decision as “courageous”. The most injured party, however, in this process appears to be Israel and is likely to stage strong protest against Sweden tacitly supported by the United States and the EU, which maintain that an independent Palestinian state should only emerge through a negotiated process.

European Members that have recognised a Palestinian state include Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta, Poland and Romania. However, they did so before joining the 28-member bloc. Sweden voted in favour of Palestinian observer status at the United Nations in 2012.

 

One Response

  1. Shein Ariely

    If
    Europeans were honest, they would admit that some of their assumptions didn’t pass the reality test.

    But
    policy and honesty are to contradictions:

    The
    increasing dependency of European politicians on Muslims vote in addition to the dependency on ME oil ( and the hidden
    traditional anti-Semitism) leads only to one direction.

    Europe
    identity and culture is changing on the way to be Euroarabia and is learning to dance the Muslim debca, departure from
    the walls

    Europe
    always comes to the Israelis with demands for concessions,regardless of their faulty record

    –Europeans
    don’t concentrate in the root cause of the conflict and demand the Palestinian to easily solve the
    conflict:

    “Recognize
    the Israeli Jewish state and declare end of conflict.””

    2
    simple sentences the Palestinians refuse in 1947 and refuse today.

    Palestinian
    could get land real estate in an exchange of only a few words.

    Palestinians
    could live in peace starting 1947 and build a wonderful society – But they prefer not to.

    The
    current tactic is to demand international legitimacy of statehood and legitimacy of their quest to destroy Israel.

    –Israel’s
    withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, EU policed the Rafah crossing to prevent weapons smuggling.It

    abandoned
    the mission two years later


    After 2006 Lebanon war, EU took over large parts of UN mission to prevent weapons smuggling to Hezbollah.

    The
    terrorist group acquired 100.000 sophisticated rockets. Hizbullah heavily armed Iranian proxy at Israel’s border

    –Israel
    should always swap land for peace.Failed with Hamas and PLO.(Gaza and West bank)

    –European
    didn’t accept Israel’s right to self-defense from attacks carried 5 km away from their borders .But the
    European claim the right of defence
    on areas 3500 km away from their borders that don’t shell their cities.

    The
    Europeans must ask a hard question. Assume that Israel will follow their demands and the peace experiment failed will
    Israel survive?

    Europe
    experiment of creating artificial states in ME- Lebanon, Syria,Iraq, Jordan,Libya failed and Islamist are all
    over.

    Europe
    can afford confronting their
    fault- but not Israel.

    Reply

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