Amid strong Israeli-Greek ties, Greece’s parliament to recognize Palestinian state

Even as Israel and Greek ties reach new highs with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scheduled to meet twice next month with Greece’s leader, Alexis Tsipras, the Greek parliament is expected to call on its government on Tuesday to recognize a Palestinian state.

 

The declaration is expected to take place after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who will meet with Prime Minister Tsipras on Monday, addresses the Greek parliament.

 

According to the website of the Greek daily Kathimerini, the speaker of the Greek parliament will read out a non-binding symbolic resolution, unanimously approved by the parliament’s defense and foreign affairs committee last Thursday, that calls on the government to recognize Palestine as a state.

 

The resolution was drawn up by the governing radical left-wing Syriza party.

 

Last week, Kathimerini reported that the resolution is similar to ones passed last year by the French and British parliaments – which were also non-binding and symbolic – rather than the one passed by Sweden in October 2014 that paved the way for Swedish government recognition of “Palestine,” something that severely soured ties with Israel.

 

The Greek parliament’s resolution was drawn up weeks ago, evidence that the move is not related to the understandings signed last week between Israeli and Turkish officials paving the way for reconciliation between the two countries.

 

Read More: Amid strong Israeli-Greek ties, Greece’s parliament to recognize Palestinian state – Israel News – Jerusalem Post

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