RAMALLAH
Unprecedented international support for the symbolic recognition of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders was voiced out during 2014.
This support was brought about by a series of motions adopted by a number of European parliaments. The Swedish parliament was the first to start the move of support for the Palestinian state earlier this year.
In October, Sweden officially recognized the State of Palestine, becoming the first European Union state to take such a move.
In this, however, Sweden was the eighth European state to recognize the Palestinian state after the Czech Republic; Hungary; Poland; Bulgaria; Romania; Malta, and Cyprus.
These states made their recognition some time before they became European Union members.
While Sweden was the 135th state to recognize the state of Palestine, its October move reverberated in many European capitals. Five other European nations followed in Sweden's footsteps by recognizing the Palestinian state later.
On October 13, Britain's House of Commons adopted a non-binding resolution, urging the government to recognize the State of Palestine.
A month later, the Spanish Parliament voted with an overwhelming majority on a non-binding resolution, urging Madrid to recognize a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders.
France followed suit on December 2, after a majority of French lawmakers approved a non-binding resolution, calling on Paris to recognize the Palestinian state.
On December 11, the Irish parliament adopted a non-binding bill, urging the Irish government to recognize the State of Palestine. A day later, the Portuguese parliament took a similar step.
Such a momentum encouraged a number of European Parliament blocs to suggest that the European Union, which has a total of 28 member states, recognize the State of Palestine.
Nevertheless, the European Parliament only recognized the Palestinian state in principle, without committing member states to recognizing this state, a move some commentators attributed to what they described as "political considerations" within the parliament.
Taking a further step in their struggle for statehood, meanwhile, the Palestinians turned to the United Nations Security Council.
Jordan, which enjoys non-permanent status in the Security Council, filed a draft resolution on behalf of the Palestinians at the Council to determine a timetable for Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian territories occupied since 1967.
The resolution has not been put to vote yet due, according to observers, to Christmas holidays.
Arab countries also say they want to create conditions supportive of the resolution before the Security Council votes on it.
To be passed, the resolution needs to be approved by nine of the 15 Security Council member states.
It can, however, be vetoed by any of the five permanent member states of the Security Council, which include the U.S., a staunch ally of Israel.
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