EU Ready to Recognize Palestinian State

In a statement issued on Monday, the EU Foreign Affairs Council said it "reiterates its readiness, when appropriate, to recognize a Palestinian state," reported the "Israeli" newspaper Haaretz.

The EU also said such a state had to be "contiguous and viable."

Brazil and Argentina recently recognized Palestine, and Uruguay and France have pledged that they will follow suit.

However, "Israel" continues to construct and expand illegal "Israeli" settler units on the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Al Quds (Jerusalem). The settlements are illegal under international law.

The Palestinians say that the settlement construction activities are being carried out to prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

The EU foreign ministers, who were meeting in Brussels, "noted with regret" Tel Aviv's failure to prolong the moratorium.