German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and the Prime Minister of Belgium, Charles Michel, left, address the media during a joint press conference as part of a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Nov. 21, 2014. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) (The Associated Press)
BERLIN – Chancellor Angela Merkel has underlined Germany's opposition to recognizing a Palestinian state after lawmakers elsewhere in Europe backed such a move.
Sweden's new government officially recognized a Palestinian state on Oct. 30. This week, Spain's Parliament approved a non-binding resolution recognizing a Palestinian state, following similar motions in Britain and Ireland.
Germany, Israel's closest European ally, has made clear it won't follow that lead.
Merkel said Friday that Berlin supports a two-state solution and "we see how difficult that is, so we also believe that unilateral recognition of the Palestinian state won't move us forward" toward that goal.
She said it's better to focus squarely on getting Israeli-Palestinian talks going although "that appears very difficult in the current conditions."
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