The Greek resolution of 2015 to recognize the Palestinian state

The resolution of the Greek Parliament on the recognition of a Palestinian was passed unanimously in 2015, however, it was “buried” for the sake of strategic and economic relations with Israel.

At a time when three countries – Norway, Spain and Ireland – are taking the historic step of recognizing the Palestinian state. Greece came extremely close in 2015 to do the same thing.

In December 2015, in the presence of Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas, the Greek House unanimously voted for the government to advance all necessary procedures for the recognition of the state of Palestine.

In his presentation, then Parliament Speaker, Nikos Voutsis, developed the plan of the Standing Committee of the Hellenic Parliament with which the Committee recognizes the coexistence of two states and a single, democratic and sovereign Palestinian State based on the 1967 borders.

Since then, there has been no progress in this direction, while in 2017, to a parliamentary question by the Communist KKE on the subject, then Foreign Minister, Nikos Kotzias, responded saying that relations with Palestine “have a traditionally excellent character” noting that “with a relevant circular issued in  2015, the mandatory use of the term “Palestine” by the entire Greek Public Administration has been established.

In addition, he assured that “Greece remains firmly committed to the peace process that foresees the creation of two states, in accordance with the decisions of the UN. We are working in this direction, as an EU country, with historical relations with the Arab world but also with friendly relations with Israel.”

The question of the recognition of a Palestinian state was definitively put aside, when Alexis Tsipras, as Prime Minister, chose to build and maintain excellent relations with Israel, promoting important bilateral agreements, even describing the work of tripartite cooperation between Greece, Israel and Cyprus as “iconic.”

source: topontiki.gr