Sweden to recognise state of Palestine

aljazeera.com

Prime minister announces plan to recognise Palestine that will make it the first country to do so while being EU member.

Sweden may become the first member of the European Union to recognise the state of Palestine, after the Nordic country's new centre-left government said it will do so.

"The conflict between Israel and Palestine can only be solved with a two-state solution, negotiated in accordance with international law," Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said on Friday, during his inaugural address in parliament.

"A two-state solution requires mutual recognition and a will to peaceful co-existence. Sweden will therefore recognise the
state of Palestine."

The UN General Assembly approved the de facto recognition of the sovereign state of Palestine in 2012 but the European Union and most of its 28 members, have yet to give official recognition.

Other EU members such as Hungary, Poland and Slovakia have recognised Palestine before joining the bloc. If the centre-left government fulfils its plans, Sweden would be the first country to recognise Palestine while enjoying EU membership

Major boost

For the Palestinians, Sweden's move will be a major boost. It may draw similar steps from other countries, at a time when peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis, on which the future of the Palestinian state hinges, are looking bleak.

However, there is likely to be strong criticism of Sweden from Israel, as well as from the United States and the EU, which maintain that an independent Palestinian state should only emerge through a negotiated process.

The Social Democrats and Greens hold a minority of seats in parliament and the incoming centre-left government is likely to be one of Sweden's weakest for decades.

The former centre-right government would not recognise Palestine as the Palestinian authorities did not control their territory.

The Palestinians want an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza, with its capital in East Jerusalem. While Gaza's boundaries are clearly defined, the precise territory of what would constitute Palestine in the West Bank and East Jerusalem will only be determined via negotiations with Israel on a two-state solution, negotiations which are currently suspended.