Two-state solution

France's upper house of parliament on Dec. 11 urged the government to recognize Palestine as a state, following a similar and highly symbolic vote in the lower house.
      

The French Members of Parliament adopted with a large majority on Tuesday a resolution calling on the government to recognise the Palestinian state, and through this to achieve a final settlement of the conflict.

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The Palestinian leadership urged France to act on a parliamentary vote Dec. 2 in favour of recognising Palestine as a state, expressing its "gratitude" to the French lawmakers.

"We call on the French government to translate its parliament's vote into action," Hanan Ashrawi, a senior leader in the Palestine Liberation Organisation, said in a statement.

French lawmakers were to debate on Nov. 28 a motion urging the government to recognize Palestine as a state, amid growing European frustration at the moribund Middle East peace process.
      
The symbolic motion is expected to pass comfortably on December 2 when the lower house of parliament votes on the text proposed by the ruling Socialists.
      

Israeli plans for roughly 500 new settler homes in occupied east Jerusalem are a "slap in the face" of the United States and the international community, a top Palestinian official said.
      

Survey finds support for EU-based solution for Cyprus