Britain’s House of Commons is set to hold a symbolic debate soon over whether the government should recognize Palestine as a state.
Currently the U.K. does not classify Palestine as a sovereign state, and while the vote is unlikely to shift that official policy, it will highlight the issue as the European Community continues to caution Israel against its lack of meaningful peace negotiations.
“It’s against the government position, but it’s not an attack on them as such, we just feel that now’s the time to shout out loud that this should be done,” said debate sponsor Grahame Morris, a member of the opposition Labour Party.
The debate comes after Sweden became the first major member of the E.U. officially recognize Palestine - a move that has been criticized by Israel.
The United Nations General Assembly approved the de facto recognition of the sovereign state of Palestine in 2012, but the E.U. and most of its members have yet to officially recognize that action. Any bilateral recognition of Palestine as a state - not the government - would not be tied to any Palestinian political party.
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 could only be determined through negotiations with Israel on a two-state solution, talks which have been indefinitely suspended.
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