British Labor Leader Ed Miliband Backs ‘Palestine’ Recognition
Image by getty images
The leader of Britain’s opposition Labor Party said on Friday he favored recognizing Palestine as a state if such a move would help bring about a broader peace deal in the Middle East.
Ed Miliband was asked by a reporter if Britain would recognize Palestine in the first year or two of his premiership, if Labor wins national elections on May 7.
Miliband said Labor backed a symbolic vote held last year in Britain’s parliament in favor of recognizing Palestine.
“What we said at the time of that vote was that it was a vote about the principle of recognition. And clearly a decision about when recognition would take place was dependent on how it would constructively help negotiations.”
“I am not going to get into, today, speculation about when that would precisely be. That is a judgment we would have to take at the time,” he said.
Ireland, France and Italy have also held parliamentary votes on the status of Palestine in recent months. Sweden has gone further by officially recognizing Palestine.
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
That’s why I’m paying it Forward, by matching $36,000 of reader gifts. It’s an investment in the Forward’s newsroom, to continue telling the American Jewish story with truth and independence.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
