European Parliament postpones vote on recognising state of Palestine

The European Parliament will vote on a resolution to recognise the state of Palestine at its plenary session next month, after a vote scheduled for today was postponed.

Following Sweden’s decision last month to recognise the state of Palestine, the issue was put on the agenda of this month’s plenary session at the request of the Socialist group, but the vote was postponed amid increasing divisions among MEPs and disagreement over the wording of a possible resolution.

A number of German MEPs, in particular, are strongly against the motion, but the centre-left Socialists and Democrats party reiterated its call yesterday for the state of Palestine to be recognised by the parliament, arguing that such a move would reinforce the Middle East peace process.

It is understood that the centre-right European People’s Party is also divided.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said it was a "crucial debate at a crucial time" and expressed the hope that a two-state solution in the Middle East "can become a reality in the near future".

Martina Anderson, Sinn Féin MEP for Northern Ireland, said the worrying situation in east Jerusalem and the "preposterous Jewish state Bill" announced earlier this week by the government, showed that Israel is "not a serious partner for peace".

A number of MEPs questioned the wisdom of declaring an EU position on the statehood of Palestine when talks of about a two-state solution were still ongoing.

They also denounced Hamas and Fatah as terrorist organisations, with a number of MEPs condemning last week's murder of four Jewish worshippers in a synagogue in Jerusalem.