The
move by Sweden's new left-leaning government reflects growing
international impatience with Israel's nearly half-century control of
the West Bank, east Jerusalem and its blockade of the Gaza Strip. It
also comes during increased tensions between Arabs and Jews over
Israel's plans to build 1,000 housing units in east Jerusalem.
Foreign
Minister Margot Wallstrom said Sweden, fulfilling a promise it had made
when the Social Democratic-led government took office earlier this
month, believes the Palestinians have met the criteria under
international law for such recognition."There is a territory, a people and government," she told reporters in Stockholm, adding that Sweden was the 135th country in the world to recognize a Palestinian state.
It is the third Western European nation to do so, after Malta and Cyprus. Some Eastern European countries recognized a Palestinian state during the Cold War.
Israel was quick to condemn Sweden's announcement, with Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman describing it as "a miserable decision that strengthens the extremist elements and Palestinian rejectionism."
"It's a shame that the government of Sweden chose to take a declarative step that only causes harm," he added.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Paul Hirschson said Israel's ambassador to Sweden was being recalled for consultations but declined to say how long he would remain in Israel.
Hanan Ashrawi, a senior Palestinian official, welcomed the move by Sweden, a European Union member, as "a principled and courageous decision."
"It is our hope that other EU member states and countries worldwide will follow Sweden's lead and recognize Palestine before the chances for a two-state solution are destroyed indefinitely," Ashrawi said.
Israel
says Palestinians can gain independence only through peace
negotiations, and that recognition of Palestine at the U.N. or by
individual countries undermines the negotiating process. Palestinians
say Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu isn't serious about the
peace negotiations.
The
latest round of U.S.-brokered talks collapsed in April. American
officials have hinted that Israel's tough negotiating stance hurt the
talks, and Netanyahu has continued to settle Israelis in the West Bank
and east Jerusalem.
More than
550,000 Israelis now live in the two areas, greatly complicating hopes
of partitioning the area under a future peace deal. The two territories
and the Gaza Strip are claimed by Palestinians for a future state.
U.S.
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the U.S. supports
Palestinian statehood but added it can only come through negotiations
between Israel and the Palestinians that resolve status issues and end
their conflict.
"Some countries (are) responding to the lack of a resolution of a peace process out there," she said.
While
the U.S. and European powers have so far refrained from recognizing
Palestinian independence, they have become increasingly critical of
Israeli settlement construction. The 28-nation European Union has urged
that negotiations to achieve a two-state solution resume as soon as
possible.
In a symbolic move, British lawmakers earlier this month voted in favor of recognizing Palestine as a state.
Some
other Western European countries — including Germany, Denmark and
Finland — have said they're not planning to follow Sweden's lead.
___
Associated
Press writers Matti Huuhtanen in Helsinki, Karin Laub in Jerusalem and
Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.
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