French Parliament debates recognising Palestine

PARIS — France’s government is pushing to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, amid growing pressure across Europe for recognition of a Palestinian state after decades of Mideast stalemate.

France’s lower house of Parliament today (Nov 28) debated a measure urging the government to recognise an independent Palestine. The Socialist government supports the idea of two states, but argues that it’s too early for outright recognition.

Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said France is working at the United Nations for a resolution to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations — and to set a two-year deadline for success.

“France will recognise a Palestinian state,” Mr Fabius told the lawmakers, but the question is “when, and how”.

France, which has western Europe’s largest Muslim and Jewish populations, and has seen tensions erupt between them, has sought to keep good ties with Israeli and Palestinian authorities in recent years. “Our only enemies in this region are the extremists,” Mr Fabius said.

In the Parliament debate, lawmakers argued over whether recognising a Palestinian state would help or hurt chances for peace. They will vote Tuesday on the measure proposed today, which urges the government “to recognise the state of Palestine in view of reaching a definitive settlement to the conflict”.

Many in Europe are frustrated with the deadlock in peace talks, and with the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza and in supporting the growth of Jewish settlements.

On Oct 30, Sweden’s government became the first Western European nation in the EU to recognise Palestinian statehood. Since then, lawmakers in Britain, Spain and Ireland have approved non-binding motions urging recognition, and the European Parliament debated the issue this week. AP