Socialists in EU parliament support recognition of Palestinian state

The Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), the second-largest political group in the European Parliament (EP), underlined Thursday its support to the recognition of an independent Palestinian state in the UN. "We have a clear position that we have to upgrade the position and role of Palestine in the UN. It is absolutely not acceptable that still Palestine is represented as an entity and not as a state, " Hannes Swoboda , S&D Vice-President , told the Kuwait news agency, KUNA. He stressed that his group is in favour of the recognition of a Palestinian state in the UN. "This will give pride and self-esteem to the Palestinians and put pressure on Israel to start negotiations," said the Austrian MEP. Commenting on statement by US President Barack Obama to veto a Palestinian bid for UN membership, Swoboda , a member of the EP''s foreign affairs committee, said "it is a bad sign". "The US in spite of the speeches of Obama is really not interested in going forward and helping the Palestinians under the pressure of Israel," he said. "Netanyahu is of course not a man interested in serious peace talks and in a two-state solution and the US makes themselves responsible for the ongoing conflict in the Middle East if they only follow the Israeli line and not try to put pressure on Israel, " added the EU parliamentarian. The European Parliament which has 736 members is the only directly-elected body of the European Union. S&D has 185 members in the EP. It iw worth mentioning that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to launch his bid for the recognition of an independent Palestinian state in the UN Security Council on Friday.