Ireland's lower house approves symbolic Palestinian state recognition

Ireland’s lower house of Parliament approved a nonbinding resolution calling on the government to formally recognize the state of "Palestine."The measure that passed unanimously late Tuesday night in the Dail was sponsored by the left-wing Sinn Fein party. It calls for a Palestinian state on the basis of the 1967 borders with eastern Jerusalem as its capital.The motion is similar to one passed in October by the upper house of Parliament, the Seanad.  Similar symbolic motions have recently passed the legislatures in France, the United Kingdom and Spain.  The current wave of parliamentary moves began in October after the Swedish government became the most significant country in Western Europe to recognize a Palestinian state.

While most developing countries recognize “Palestine” as a state, most Western European countries do not, supporting the Israeli and US position that an independent Palestinian state should emerge from direct negotiations.

Reuters contributed to this report.