Palestinians waving their national flag
The European Union says it is prepared to recognize a Palestinian state in the wake of a groundswell of international support for the Palestinians.
In a statement issued on Monday, the EU Foreign Affairs Council said it "reiterates its readiness, when appropriate, to recognize a Palestinian state," wrote the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz.
The EU also said such a state had to be “contiguous and viable.”
Brazil and Argentina recently recognized Palestine, and Uruguay and France have pledged that they will follow suit.
However, Israel continues to construct and expand illegal Jewish settler units on the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds (Jerusalem). Tel Aviv occupied the territories in 1967.
Israel refused to extend a partial freeze on settlement activities in late September, thus stalling the direct talks with the Palestinian Authority (PA) that had resumed earlier that month.
The Palestinians say that the settlement construction activities are being carried out to prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
The EU foreign ministers, who were meeting in Brussels, "noted with regret" Tel Aviv's failure to prolong the moratorium.
The settlements “are illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace," the EU ministers said in a statement.
HN/HGL PressTV - EU ready to recognize Palestine