The UK Has Voted to Recognize Palestine as a State

The United Kingdom's Parliament has voted overwhelmingly in favor of a non-binding motion recognizing Palestine as a state alongside Israel.

The House voted by 274 MPs to 12 to adopt the motion, which called on the government to "recognize the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel," with an amendment adding the words "as a contribution to securing a negotiated two-state solution."

The decision will not change government policy but could have international implications.

Government ministers, including Prime Minister David Cameron, abstained in the vote.

Labour backbencher Grahame Morris, MP for Easington, presented the motion and said he would accept the amendment from Jack Straw, Labour's former foreign secretary.

Morris said relations between Israelis and Palestinians were "stuck at an impasse" and recognizing Palestine as a state would be "symbolically important."

Although symbolic, the motion is likely to have diplomatic significance, coming a week after Sweden's center-left government said it would recognize the Palestinian state.

Britain's current policy, as laid out by former foreign secretary William Hague, is that the country "reserves the right to recognize a Palestinian state bilaterally at the moment of our choosing and when it can best help bring about peace."

Ahead of the debate, the prime minister's official spokesman said: "The government's approach is a long-standing one and is in support of a two-state solution and we will continue to work with a range of international partners — Israel, the Palestinian Authority — in support of that."

Speaking before the debate, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said that Liberal Democrat ministers would abstain "in accordance with established practice that ministers don't vote on backbench motions — and backbenchers have a free vote."

In an unusual arrangement, Labour MPs who entered the House of Commons were compelled by leader Ed Miliband to vote in favor of the motion. However, members who stayed away from Parliament were told that they would face no disciplinary action from the party.

Supporting the motion, Labour's former foreign secretary Jack Straw said: "What the House will be doing this evening will be to add to the pressure on the government of Israel. That is why they are so worried about this resolution passing."

Opposing the motion, Conservative MP Matthew Offord said: "An affirmative vote tonight would be nothing more than a propaganda victory for those who wish to bypass the mediation of the peace process in favor of international institutions such as the United Nations where the Palestinian Authority enjoy an automatic majority."

More than 100 countries have officially recognized Palestinian statehood. However, Israel has said such moves are premature and undermine peace efforts.

Palestinians have long called for an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza with its capital in East Jerusalem. Peace negotiations with Israel collapsed earlier this year and a resolution is not forthcoming.

Image via Flickr