Foto vum UNO-Haaptsëtz zu New York. / © Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Prime Minister Luc Frieden and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel announced before the parliamentary commission that Luxembourg intends to recognise Palestine as a state this September.
The Grand Duchy has expressed its support for a two-state solution. However, the final decision is expected to be made at the UN General Assembly in New York, which begins on 23 September. Further details are to be clarified there in coordination with other countries.
Luxembourg has long hesitated to recognise the State of Palestine, arguing it was waiting for the right moment.
Other countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Canada and Belgium, have already announced that they will recognise Palestine.
Opposition reacts
The Pirates' Sven Clement said the statements on Monday morning were too vague:
"They left a lot of room for interpretation in today's presentation. How can we offer reassurance that this recognition will mean something concrete, no matter what the government's position has been? They did not provide an answer today."
Gusty Graas of the DP, chairman of the foreign affairs committee, said he was satisfied with the developments: "We cannot forget that we have been discussing the recognition of Palestine for a long time. Of course with the condition that a two-state solution is found. I think we've come a good deal further, the situation has changed a lot and therefore I can understand the position the government has now decided on."
But the ADR's Fred Keup says the conditions have not yet been met: "I'm surprised at the 180-degree turn that Mr Bettel and Mr Frieden have taken, but it's not clear who exactly has decided it. I think suddenly everything they have said in recent months no longer counts properly and we are going in a different direction. It has always been said that conditions must be met in order to grant recognition for Palestine. These have not been fulfilled. We also agree that Palestine should be recognised as a proper state, but certain conditions simply have to be met and we are not seeing that at the moment."
The Left's David Wagner says better late than never, although he believes the opportune moment for recognising Palestine was due some time ago: "I still don't agree with the government's statement that there wasn't a better time to announce this earlier. The situation then, as now, is that a majority of countries have already recognised the State of Palestine and it's just a handful of 30 countries that have not."
Yves Cruchten of the LSAP said the government had finally got its act together in terms of Palestine, a sentiment which was echoed by the Green's Sam Tanson, who brought up potential sanctions for Israel in the committee discussion. "I received positive feedback from the foreign minister on the question of which sanctions Luxembourg could apply. There is no absolute consensus on this at European level, but we do need unanimity"
Luxembourg does not have the necessary legal means to apply sanctions against Israel individually. Foreign minister Xavier Bettel said his department was working on the matter. "There are other things which we cannot do at all, such as issuing entry bans for ministers. So I am going to depose a bill to the government council which means Luxembourg will not have to wait for the rest of the EU to take action."
Although the signs are all there for recognition, the decision will not be confirmed until next week's summit in New York. Frieden said his whole cabinet supported the decision when asked if there was a governing party consensus on the matter.
Protests outside the Chamber of Deputies
On Monday morning, demonstrators gathered outside the Chamber to show their support for the recognition of the State of Palestine. They also condemned the recent decision by the CSSF to approve Israeli government bonds for the European financial market.
