Swiss parliament rejects proposal to recognize Palestine as a state

By Timo Kirez

GENEVA (AA) - The lower house of the Swiss parliament on Tuesday refused to recognize Palestine as a state.

In the debate and vote in Bern, which could be followed via livestream, 131 voted against recognition, 61 voted in favor. There were two abstentions.

The initiative was brought to parliament by members of the Social Democratic SP.

“Israel was recognized, Palestine was not,” said SP MP Fabian Molina from Zurich during the debate.

He reiterated his call for a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, adding: “Let's improve the conditions for a new peace process.”

Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, representing the government, had recommended rejecting the recognition.

Cassis initially emphasized the technical side of the approach. Recognition of Palestine by parliament meant “an encroachment on the system of competences,” he said.

It was only after repeated questions from MPs that Cassis revealed the federal government's substantive position: “It is currently not the right time to recognize Palestine.”

After Ireland, Norway and Spain, Switzerland would have been the fourth European country to recognize Palestine.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called his country’s recognition of Palestine on 28 May as a “historic decision.”