Sweden
officially recognises the State of Palestine, the country’s foreign
minister has announced, making it the first European Union country to do
so.
“Today, the government takes the decision to recognise the state of Palestine,” Margot Wallstrom (pictured) said in a Thursday statement. “It is an important step that confirms the Palestinians’ right to self-determination.”
The 130 other nations that already recognise a Palestinian State
include Hungary, Slovakia and Poland although these three countries took
this step before joining the EU. Thursday’s declaration was not
unexpected; newly-elected Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven announced
during his swearing-in speech earlier this month that it would come,
although few observers anticipated a formal announcement so soon.
Israel has protested Sweden’s decision and the Israeli Foreign
Ministry summoned the Swedish ambassador shortly after Lofven’s
statement. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman called Wallström’s
announcement on Thursday “unfortunate” and said it would only serve to
reinforce extremist elements.
Palestinians are seeking to create a state in the Israeli-occupied
West Bank and in Gaza, with East Jerusalem as their capital. They demand
also that Israel withdraws from occupied Palestinian territories. With
the near collapse of direct peace negotiations with Israel, Palestinian
authorities have been trying to lobby the international community to
recognise Palestinian sovereignty. The UN General Assembly voted in 2012
to upgrade Palestine’s status to that of a non-member observer, giving
Palestinian officials access to UN agencies, but European Union
countries had – until Sweden’s announcement – not given their full
recognition of a Palestinian state.
“Today’s recognition is a contribution to a better future for a
region that has for too long been characterized by frozen negotiations,
destruction and frustration,” Wallstrom wrote in the Dagens Nyheter
newspaper. “Some will state this decision comes too soon. I am afraid,
rather, that it is too late.”
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he welcomed the
announcement shortly after it was made on Thursday morning and called on
other countries to follow Sweden’s example. Communicating via his
spokesman, Abbas found the decision “brave and historic.”