EU foreign ministers to reaffirm commitment to two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians, January 22, 2018 (Reuters)
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday called on member states of the European Union to recognize “the State of Palestine”, saying such a move would encourage Palestinians to maintain hope for peace.
Abbas made the remarks at a press conference at the European Union headquarters in Brussels, standing alongside EU foreign policy chief Frederica Mogherini.
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“We call on these states to recognize the State of Palestine,” Abbas said, referring to EU member counties.
“Recognition will not be an obstacle on the road to peace, but rather it will encourage the Palestinian people to preserve hope that peace is coming,” he said, adding, “It will encourage people to continue to hold onto the culture of peace that was disseminated among the Palestinain people over the years.”
Israel has said that recognition of “the State of Palestine” will harden the Palestinians’ negotiating position and make it more difficult to reach a final peace deal.
More than 130 countries have recognized “the State of Palestine,” but the vast majority of EU member states have not made such a move.
However, on Sunday, Channel 10 reported that Slovenia likely will recognize “the State of Palestine” in February, citing senior Israeli officials.
On Monday, Abbas met with Slovenian Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec. According to the official PA news site Wafa, the two discussed the latest developments in the Middle East and bilateral ties between their countries and ways to develop them.
At the press conference, the PA president also said that the Palestinians remain committed to signed agreements with Israel.
“We are committed to the agreements that were signed between us and the Israeli side, but we call on Israel to undertake its role in abiding them,” he stated. “It is not acceptable for only one side to be committed to these agreements.”
Abbas’s statement appeared to contradict a decision a top Palestine Liberation Organization body made last week, which said Palestinian obligations to the Oslo Accords are “no longer standing.”
Later on Monday, Abbas held closed-door discussions with EU foreign ministers as well as Mogherini.