(Brussels, Thursday, October 30, 2014) – The European Jewish Congress has called the Swedish Government’s decision to officially recognize a Palestinian state a display of poorly timed judgment.

“Only last night an Israeli was gunned down in an attempt at cold blooded murder, following on from the intentional murder by ploughing into a crowd of people in Jerusalem, killing two, including a three month old baby, all of which follows Palestinian leaders calling on their people to do anything possible to ‘protect’ Jerusalem,” EJC President Dr. Moshe Kantor said. “And rather than condemn the incitement to murder and seek ways to calm the situation, Sweden is merely adding fuel to an already enflamed Middle East and taking unilateral actions which the European Union committed its member states not to undertake.”

“This recognition also means recognizing a state which is at least in part controlled by the terrorist group Hamas, which is dedicated to the destruction of the State of Israel. Furthermore, with the current chaos and mass murder in places like Syria and Iraq, it appears bizarre that a foreign government would take such significant action completely unrelated to seeking ways to protect the tens if not hundreds of thousands of civilians whose lives are at immediate risk.”

“Today the government takes the decision to recognize the state of Palestine,” Swedish foreign minister Margot Wallstrom said in a statement on Thursday. “It is an important step that confirms the Palestinians’ right to self-determination,” she said, adding that “we hope that this will show the way for others.”

“This move is also illegitimate because it stands in opposition to commitments made by the European Union that neither side should take unilateral steps, and here is a member state doing exactly that,” Kantor continued. “For over 20 years the international community has consistently used the stick against Israel with all manner of threats and the carrot for the Palestinians, giving them prizes even while they continue to refuse to negotiate, telling them that recalcitrance is a strategy worth pursuing.”

“Perhaps there should be a major reassessment by the international community to assist the two sides get back to the negotiating table rather than taking actions which just pull the sides further apart.”

 European Jewish Congress (EJC)

Tel : +3225408159

Fax : +3225408169

Web : www.eurojewcong.org