Ireland Parliament Votes Unanimously for ‘Palestine’
Ireland’s lower house of Parliament approved a nonbinding resolution calling on the government to formally recognize the state of Palestine.
The measure that passed unanimously late Tuesday night in the Dail was sponsored by the left-wing Sinn Fein party. It calls for a State of Palestine on the basis of the 1967 borders with eastern Jerusalem as its capital.
Celebration after historic Dáil decision 2 recognise Palestinian right 2 self determination. Long live Palestine! pic.twitter.com/d5IgqccOhq
— Gerry Adams (@GerryAdamsSF) December 10, 2014
The motion is similar to one passed in October by the upper house of Parliament, the Seanad.
Ireland’s Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan told the Associated Press his government is considering recognition of Palestinian statehood as a possible tactic for kick-starting Middle East peace talks, an idea bitterly opposed by Israel.
“I’ve no difficulty in principle with the idea of early recognition, if I believe it can contribute to achieving a settlement of the conflict,” Flanagan told lawmakers. “The present stalemate is not acceptable.”
He credited Sweden with inspiring the entire 28-nation EU to consider Palestinian statehood. He said Ireland still hoped to make the move as part of a wider Mideast peace deal, not before it or unilaterally in advance of achieving an EU consensus.
The issue of recognition for a state of Palestine has been spreading across Europe.
Spain, France and Britain recently passed similar nonbinding motions. Sweden has also announced it would recognize a Palestinian state.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
