30/11/2012 Political Affairs and Democracy
Strasbourg, 30.11.2012 – Pietro Marcenaro (Italy, SOC), rapporteur on the Middle East of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), has welcomed yesterday’s vote in the UN General Assembly recognising Palestine as a non-member observer state.
“The vote was a strong indication of the international community’s support for a two-state solution,” said Mr Marcenaro. “This was a vote in favour of peace, not a vote against Israel.”
“My hope is that it will now open a new phase of negotiations between the two sides in the Middle East peace process, where nothing is off the table.”
“The Council of Europe has always been a place of dialogue – Israeli and Palestinian parliamentarians have been regularly meeting here for many years – and I hope, as rapporteur, that the changes in New York will help to move that dialogue forward.”
The Palestinian National Council was granted Partner for Democracy status with the Parliamentary Assembly in October 2011. The Israeli Knesset has held observer status since 1957.