Friday 31 October, reported news agency NTB that the opposition parties Labour and the Centre rejects SV’s proposal to recognize Palestine. Thus, the government has the support of almost the whole Parliament when they reject the proposal. If all the members followed their party groups, and SV proposal to recognize a Palestinian state came to a vote in plenary in Parliament proposal would fall by 7 or 8 (the Green Party position is unknown) against 161 votes.
Labour’s foreign policy spokeswoman Anniken Huitfeld says she wants to be among the first in the series to recognize a Palestinian state.
– But it must be a reality we recognize – not a vision, she says. Labor is therefore not ready to support SV now. Labour deserve credit for this.
Centre Party foreign policy spokesperson Liv Signe, the minister has an even clearer and more principled rejection.
– Subject to that party group have not discussed this proposal, the Center their attitude that we will recognize Palestine before Palestine recognize Israel, says, the minister said.
The news agency tries to argue that Norway has collaboration with several of the over 30 countries that do not recognize Israel. This is an argument, the minister denies.
– As far as I know, none of these countries an organization Hamas, which constantly goes on the attack, she said.
Think about other European politicians could be as clear-headed as, the minister in this matter! Since 1947 and until today the Palestinians lack of recognition of Israel was the main obstacle that they should have their own state. If Europe had followed the Centre Party line, the Palestinians could possibly think of better ideas. Unfortunately, the other signals, and believe that they therefore are best served by not resolving the conflict in direct negotiations with Israel.
When MIFF shared Liv Signe, the minister’s statement on Facebook the weekend, she won a stream of “likes” -click and many divisions.
MIFF expectation
In February 2014 MIFF submitted a 16-page note with expectations of government Erna Solberg. It was pointed out precisely the need to reject all proposals to recognize a Palestinian state, so long as the Palestinians refuse to recognize Israel as the Jewish national homeland.
Quote of the note follows:
PAs Basic Law was passed by the Palestinian Legislative Assembly in 1997 and ratified by the former PA President Yasser Arafat in 2002. Since the law has undergone two changes.
In Act introduction we read “national homeland Palestine” and “the right to establish an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, under the leadership of the Palestinian Liberation Organization [PLO], the only legitimate representative of the Arab Palestinian people wherever they may be located. “
The law on such items:
Art. 1: “Palestine is part of the larger Arab world and the Palestinian people are part of the Arab nation. Arab unity is a goal that the Palestinian people should strive to achieve. “
Art. 4: “1. Islam is the official religion in Palestine. Respect for the sanctity of other divine religions shall be maintained.
2. The principles of Islamic Shari’a shall be the basic source for legislation.
3. Arabic shall be the official language. “
The Palestinian leaders who have adopted this Basic Law of Palestine as a Arabic and Muslim State rejects also decided that Israel should be a Jewish State. They require recognition of an Arab state number 23 and a Muslim state number 57 (“State of Palestine” has been a member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference since 1969), but denies Israel the right to a national homeland for Jews.
Not later than 2 February 2014 reiterated the PA president Mahmoud Abbas in this interview with New York Times. “On recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, Mr. Abbas said, ‘This is out of the question.’”
We take for granted that government support for the establishment of Palestine by a “ negotiated solution” is a support to Palestine as a national homeland for Arab Palestinians, as PAs Basic Law states.
A balanced approach must therefore be to support Israel as a national homeland for Jews.
“The Palestinians must recognize that Israel will remain a Jewish state,” said President Barack Obama when he spoke in Jerusalem on 21 March 2013. The Palestinians also need to hear this from their European friends.
When we see how different ethno-religious groups treat each other in Arab countries today (Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Lebanon, etc.), it becomes even clearer than before that the Jews need a state where they can be in the majority and defend themselves.
To support Israel as a national homeland for Jews in close conjunction with rejecting the “right of return” for millions of 1948 refugees descendants. It implies an acceptance that democracy Israel can determine its immigration rules and reject Palestinian demands that will put an end to Israel as a state with a Jewish majority.
MIFF expects the government
– make it clear to the Palestinian and Arab side that Norway requires the recognition of Israel as a national homeland for Jews.
– votes against any proposal to recognize a Palestinian state or to take up Palestine as a member of the new international organizations as long as the Palestinians are stuck to reject Israel as a Jewish state.
All honor to the Center, which seems to have understood this argument.
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