Reuters , Stockholm :
The Palestinians will open an embassy in Stockholm today night, cementing closer ties just months after Sweden became the first western European Union country to recognise Palestine as a state.
Visiting Sweden for the first time since recognition in October, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on other countries to follow Sweden’s lead.
“Your recognition…should push forward negotiations in the peace process,” Abbas said.
Relations between Sweden and Israel have nose-dived since the initial announcement and Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom called off a visit to Israel in January. Israel temporarily recalled its ambassador.
Palestinians seek statehood in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the blockaded Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as their capital.
Israel seized the territories in the 1967 Middle East War and has built Jewish settlements in several areas despite international criticism, although it had pulled out of Gaza.
Long-running peace talks collapsed nearly a year ago and the Palestinians forged ahead with an alternative strategy to achieve statehood.
The Palestinians will open an embassy in Stockholm today night, cementing closer ties just months after Sweden became the first western European Union country to recognise Palestine as a state.
Visiting Sweden for the first time since recognition in October, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on other countries to follow Sweden’s lead.
“Your recognition…should push forward negotiations in the peace process,” Abbas said.
Relations between Sweden and Israel have nose-dived since the initial announcement and Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom called off a visit to Israel in January. Israel temporarily recalled its ambassador.
Palestinians seek statehood in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the blockaded Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as their capital.
Israel seized the territories in the 1967 Middle East War and has built Jewish settlements in several areas despite international criticism, although it had pulled out of Gaza.
Long-running peace talks collapsed nearly a year ago and the Palestinians forged ahead with an alternative strategy to achieve statehood.
