British MPs to vote on recognizing Palestinian state

LONDON (AFP) -- British lawmakers on Monday hold a non-binding vote on recognizing Palestine although government ministers will not take part, in a sign of the political sensitivity of the issue.

The debate is being closely watched internationally after Sweden incurred Israeli wrath this month for saying it will recognize Palestine.

The symbolic vote is on a motion put forward by Grahame Morris, an MP from the opposition Labor Party, and is likely to get the backing of most Labor members.

Within the two ruling coalition parties, some Conservatives and most Liberal Democrats are likely to vote in favor, despite the government's position.

"If the vote is a success it would put a tremendous amount of pressure on the current government and the next government, which is likely to be a Labor government, to recognize Palestine as a state," Morris told AFP in an email.

"The UK recognizing Palestine could give decisive momentum to more EU states following suit," he said.

Some pro-Israel Labor MPs will vote against and have voiced resentment at being ordered by the party leaders to vote in favor in what is expected to be a charged debate.

The House of Commons debate, which will start at 1330 GMT, follows the collapse of peace talks between Israel and Palestine and this year's conflict in Gaza in which more than 2,000 Palestinians and dozens of Israelis were killed, mostly soldiers.

The Palestinian Authority estimates at 134 the number of countries that have recognized Palestine as a state although the number is disputed and several recognitions by European Union member states date back to the Soviet era. more