British lawmakers will hold a symbolic parliamentary vote next week on whether the government should recognize “Palestine” as a state, Reuters reported on Monday.
The motion due for debate in Britain's lower house of parliament on October 13 will ask lawmakers whether they believe the government should recognize the state of Palestine.
It is unlikely to win approval through the British parliament because it is at odds with official policy, but even if it did pass, it is non-binding and would not force the government to changes its diplomatic stance, noted Reuters.
"It's against the government position, but it's not an attack on them as such, we just feel that now's the time shout out loud that this should be done," said lawmaker Grahame Morris from the opposition Labour party who is sponsoring the debate.
"Not only is statehood the inalienable right of the Palestinian people, but recognizing Palestine will breathe new life into a peace process that is at an impasse," he added.
Britain’s move comes just days after Sweden stirred some controversy by declaring it would recognize the “state of Palestine.”
Sweden’s announcement this past weekend raised the ire of Israel and the United States, and Israel’s Foreign Ministry said it would summon Sweden's ambassador to Israel over the move.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu also criticized the Swedish announcement and said that unilateral actions will only reduce the chances of reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinian Authority (PA).
On Sunday, however, Sweden effectively retracted the statement from Saturday.
"The prime minister said that the conflict between Israel and Palestine can be solved through the two-state solution, by negotiations in accordance with the principles of international law,” the Swedish Embassy in Israel said in a statement.
The solution “must guarantee the legitimate demands of both Palestinians and Israelis, to self-determination and security. The two-state solution requires mutual recognition and the will to live together in peace. The prime minister summed up by saying that as a result, Sweden would recognize the Palestinian state,” the statement added.
The PA has been for years trying to unilaterally achieve recognition as a state at the United Nations, despite the fact that unilateral moves are against the Oslo Accords.
The PA now plans to ask the Security Council to adopt a resolution that would set a deadline of November 2016 for an Israeli pullout from Judea, Samaria, Gaza and eastern Jerusalem, with a goal of establishing an independent Palestinian state living side by side with Israel.