US House against Palestinian State

The US House of Representatives has approved a resolution opposing the declaration of a Palestinian state.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/155697.html


The US House of Representatives has declared its opposition to the recognition of an independent Palestinian state, urging Palestinians to stop their efforts to push for such a move.

The House unanimously approved a resolution opposing unilateral declaration of Palestinian state on Thursday, Ha'aretz reported.

Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Howard Berman, who introduced the resolution, criticized Palestinian efforts to push the international community to recognize a Palestinian state.

The remarks came after Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay recognized the Palestinian state to support the rights of Palestinian people, whose land has been occupied by Israel.

The Latin American states announced that they recognize a free and independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders.

On Monday, the European Union also said in a statement that it "reiterates its readiness, when appropriate, to recognize a Palestinian state."

The resolution also urged the White House to "deny recognition to any unilaterally declared Palestinian state and veto any resolution by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to establish or recognize a Palestinian state outside of an agreement negotiated by the two parties."

According to the resolution, Palestinian leaders should cease all efforts to gain recognition of a Palestinian state from other nations, within the United Nations. It also called upon foreign governments not to extend such recognitions.

Washington, which brought the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israel to the negotiation table once again in September, failed to persuade Tel Aviv to extend its partial settlement slowdown, which expired late September.

The ongoing Israeli settlement projects stalled the US-sponsored direct talks.

The United States agreed to provide fighter jets to Israel and veto any anti-Israeli resolutions in the UNSC instead of an extended three-month freeze, but last week the Obama administration said it would not continue to ask Israel for the move.

Acting PA Chief Mahmoud Abbas has said he would not return to the negotiations as long as Tel Aviv continues its illegal settlement projects, adding that he would push for recognition of Palestine in the United Nations should Israel not cooperate over its settlement activities.

Palestinians say that the settlement activities are being carried out to prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

The international community backs Palestinian demands for a state in most of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East al-Quds (Jerusalem), all territories occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War.