Luxembourg to Recognize State of Palestine

Luxembourg: Luxembourg's Prime Minister Luc Frieden and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel announced their country's intention to recognize the State of Palestine. Luxembourg is expected to make the final decision on recognition later this month at the UN General Assembly in New York, in coordination with several other countries, including France and Belgium. According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Union's executive body would take a tougher stance toward Israel over the war, by halting payments to the country and imposing sanctions on what it described as "extremist ministers" and violent colonists. On Friday, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of the "New York Declaration," which outlines "concrete, time-bound, and irreversible steps" toward a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians ahead of its September 22 meeting. For its part, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign A ffairs and Expatriates welcomed Luxembourg's intention to recognize the State of Palestine, considering it a courageous position consistent with international law and international legitimacy resolutions, and part of the efforts to achieve calm and peace in accordance with the principle of the two-state solution. The Ministry reiterated its appreciation to the countries that recognized the State of Palestine and called on other countries to follow suit, in commitment to the two-state solution and in support of the international consensus to stop the war and establish peace.