Italy Lawmakers Push for ‘Palestine’ Recognition
Italian lawmakers on Friday backed a non-binding resolution that encourages the government to recognize Palestine as a state, a move that underlines European frustration over stalled Middle East peace negotiations.
European countries have become increasingly critical of Israel, which since the collapse of the latest U.S.-sponsored talks last April has pressed on with building settlements on territory the Palestinians want for their state.
Italy’s Chamber of Deputies voted by 300 to 45 to pass the motion presented by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s Democratic Party (PD).
While most developing countries recognize Palestine as a state, most Western European governments do not, supporting the Israeli and U.S. position that an independent Palestinian state should emerge from negotiations with Israel.
Friday’s symbolic vote does not change the position of the Italian government which, like other European countries, still supports a negotiated two-state solution.
Ireland, Britain and France held similar votes in parliament toward the end of last year. Sweden went further, officially recognizing Palestine.
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.
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you move on, I wanted to ask you to support the Forward’s award-winning journalism during our High Holiday Monthly Donor Drive.
If you’ve turned to the Forward in the past 12 months to better understand the world around you, we hope you will support us with a gift now. Your support has a direct impact, giving us the resources we need to report from Israel and around the U.S., across college campuses, and wherever there is news of importance to American Jews.
Make a monthly or one-time gift and support Jewish journalism throughout 5785. The first six months of your monthly gift will be matched for twice the investment in independent Jewish journalism.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
