France to vote on recognition of Palestine

PARIS, Nov. 14 (UPI) -- France will vote Nov. 28 on legislation that would symbolically recognize the state of Palestine.

The decision comes after months of renewed tensions between Israel and Gaza. The United States has tried to bring the two sides together to broker a peace deal but the process has been halted with Israel refusing a two-state solution.

"It's the right time to recognize the Palestinian state," said French politician Pouria Amirshahi. "In this conflict ... it's unequal combat between a recognized state that has all its legal capacities, and a state that's not totally recognized and can't take any legal action."

The vote is only symbolic and will have no effect on foreign policy but experts are hoping it will revive the peace talks that have broken down between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

Sweden has also voted to recognize the Palestinian state, causing Israel to lash out.

"It is too bad that the government of Sweden has chosen to adopt the measure that does a lot of damage and has no benefits," said Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman. "Sweden must understand that relations in the Middle East are much more complicated than self-assembly furniture at Ikea."