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PARIS , Dec. 2 (UPI) -- France's National Assembly, in a symbolic and non-binding vote, voted Tuesday in favor of recognition of Palestine as a state. The 339-151 vote in the lower house of parliament followed similar measures in the legislatures of Britain on Oct. 13 and Spain on Nov. 8. Sweden recognized Palestine after an Oct. 30 vote.
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In France, formal recognition of states is left exclusively to the President.
On Nov. 28, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said France would attempt to accelerate an initiative of the United States, the United Nations and the Arab League, leading to Palestine as a state. Last week he noted the U.N. Security Council was seeking to resume peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, adding Paris could host an international conference on the issue; if those efforts fail, he said, France could recognize Palestine.
Within an hour of the motion, the Israeli Embassy in Paris released a statement saying the vote "will reduce the possibility of achieving a deal between Israel and the Palestinians."
