Islam Times - Countries’ recognition of Palestine message to Israel, US

Islam Times - The recent move by several European countries to recognize Palestine as an independent state is a “strong message” to both Israel and the United States, says an activist.

“Through this recognition, countries are saying both to Israel and the US, ‘We have had enough, this occupation has gone for far too long, we do not see any prospect of it ending because Israel has absolutely no interest in peace,’” Kamel Hawwash, the vice chairman of Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, said in an interview.

On October 30, Sweden became the first major European country to officially recognize the state of Palestine, joining 130 other nations, including Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, that had already made a similar decision.

The French National Assembly will also vote on a similar resolution on November 28.

Britain and Ireland have already passed similar non-binding motions.

Hawwash said that the European countries’ pro-Palestinian stand is important but there is a need for sanctions to be imposed on the Israeli regime as well until it stops its ongoing crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories.

On November 29, 2012, the 193-member United Nations General Assembly voted to upgrade Palestine’s status to non-member observer state.

Palestinians are seeking to create an independent state on the territories of the West Bank, East al-Quds (Jerusalem), and the Gaza Strip and are demanding that Israel withdraw from the occupied Palestinian territories.

Israel, however, has refused to return to the 1967 borders and is unwilling to discuss the issue of al-Quds.