Brussels, 20/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - The EU member states are heading for an abstention on the subject of the Palestinian request to become a non-member state of the United Nations at the General Assembly which will take place on 29 November, in the opinion of a European source. The EU ministers for foreign affairs discussed this request at the Council on 19 November - without a decision being made. The member states vote individually. The EU will be stronger united, said a high level European official. On 20 November he emphasised that if there is European unity on the request, it will be made “at middle level” - and so abstention. Ireland is in favour of the request by President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas, as are Luxembourg and Greece. Sources say that five or six states would be in favour. However, according to a high level European official, while some countries vote in favour of the request, “there seems to be votes against”. He added that nine days (dating from 20th) before the vote on 29th is “a long time”. He also said that the votes will depend on the final document.
European Parliament condemns violence, while awaiting December… Meeting in plenary in Strasbourg, the European Parliament is due to adopt an emergency resolution on Thursday on the situation in Gaza - a resolution which should, through lack of time for debate this week, just condemn the violence and call for a ceasefire. This is while waiting for a debate and more complete resolution in December. It is a delay that will enable the Parliament to “take better into account the evolution of the situation”, Joseph Daul (EPP, France) said on Tuesday on behalf of his group. And “to be much more precise on the causes for the crisis and its solutions”, said Guy Verhofstadt on behalf of his group (ALDE, Belgium). On behalf of the Greens/EFA Group, Daniel Cohn-Bendit (France) would have liked the Parliament to adopt a text this week, bringing its support to Abbas' initiative requesting the immediate recognition of a Palestinian State. “We can discuss the responsibility for the escalation in violence indefinitely (…) One thing is sure - that as along as there are no perspectives for the Palestinians, it is forces of despair, the most violent forces, that will always try to impose themselves in the Palestinian political arena”, Cohn-Bendit said. The S&D Group supports the Egyptian initiative on seeking a ceasefire, said Hannes Swoboda (Austria), nonetheless adding that “while (his) group is very attached to the rights of the Palestinians (there are no) excuses for the Hamas rockets sent to Israel” (our translation throughout). (CG and EH/transl.fl)