Israel Matzav

US House on record opposing unilateral declaration of 'Palestinian state'

Around the time that I landed in Boston on Wedensday, the US House of Representatives approved a resolution opposing the unilateral declaration of a 'Palestinian state.'

The resolution, introduced by Democrat Howard Berman, reaffirms the "strong support" in the lower chamber of the US Congress "for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resulting in two states, a democratic, Jewish state of Israel and a viable, democratic Palestinian state."

The text also "reaffirms its strong opposition to any attempt to establish or seek recognition of a Palestinian state outside of an agreement negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians."

It urges Palestinian leaders to "cease all efforts at circumventing the negotiation process" and calls on foreign governments "not to extend such recognition."

One of the co-sponsors of the House measure was Republican Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the incoming House Foreign Affairs Committee chair, who earlier condemned moves by the South American countries to recognize an independent Palestinian state.

State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said that such recognition by the South Americans was "counter-productive" to achieving Middle East peace.

The European Union on Monday stopped short of outright recognition of a Palestinian state despite mounting pressure to break the Middle East impasse, but did reaffirm its readiness to recognize such a state at an "appropriate" time.

Mounting pressure from whom? And for those of you in Israel, keep in mind that this is the lame duck Congress and that the new one in January may be even more favorably disposed to Israel.

Labels: Howard Berman, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, unilateral declaration of statehood, US House of Representatives

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:27 PM