A vote in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on a draft Socialist-initiated resolution calling on the EU to recognize a Palestinian state, scheduled to take place next Thursday, has been postponed to mid-December, a postponement which highlights the division in the parliament on this sensitive issue.
The Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), the second largest political group in the parliament, tabled the resolution which is supported by the Unified European Left Party (GUE/NGL).
The European Parliament will debate the idea of recognition of a Palestinian state on Wednesday with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini but no resolution will be tabled this week.
The 751 parliament members will vote on an agreed text during the assembly’s plenary session on December 15-18, sources said.
According to Israeli diplomatic sources, the vote was postponed because of difficulties between the parties regarding the language of the resolution, opposition to the initiative from several MEPs from various political groups – especially German MEPs- and intense Israeli lobbying in Brussels.
Gilles Pargneaux, a French Socialist MEP and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, who is behind the initial resolution said the vote was rescheduled "at the request of the European right."
"If I was personally in favour of a vote as soon as this Thursday, November 27, I understand the importance of giving time to European political groups to draw a homogeneous majority in favour of the recognition of the Palestinian state living in peace alongside a safe Israeli state."
"The proposal of this resolution in the European Parliament is a first and a historic event," Pargneaux said.
The question has come to the forefront of European political debate in recent weeks following Sweden's decision to officially recognize a ''state of Palestine.'' Sweden became the first EU member state to do so on 30 October 2014.
Later, the British, Irish and Spanish parliaments voted in favour of such a recognition even tough the votes are non-binding.
A similar vote is scheduled to come before the French parliament.