Portuguese parliament passes motion in support of 'Palestine' recognition
FM Machete says his country will choose the most appropriate moment to recognize the Palestinian state.
By JPOST.COM STAFFA view of Lisbon, Portugal(photo credit: PR)
Joining a string of other Western European nations, the Portuguese parliament passed a recommendation on Friday calling on the government to recognize 'Palestine.'The motion was filed jointly by the center-right majority and the Socialist opposition party, and proposes to: "recognize, in coordination with the European Union, the State of Palestine as an independent and sovereign state," AFP reported.The government must "continue to promote dialogue and peaceful coexistence of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine," adding that "only negotiations can ensure security and peace in this region," the motion stated according to AFP.The Portuguese government, "will choose the most appropriate moment" to recognize the Palestinian state the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rui Machete said following the vote. Similar symbolic motions have recently passed the legislatures in France, the United Kingdom Spain, and Ireland.
