The Palestinian community based in the north German city of Hanover and the German Jewish organization 'Jewish Voice for Just Peace in the Middle East' wrote a letter to Merkel and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, urging Berlin to immediately recognize the Palestinian state after the U's unilateral declaration, slated to take place for September.
The group said it was unacceptable for Merkel to link a diplomatic recognition of Palestinian state to the outcome of a negotiated Israeli-Palestinian settlement.
By doing so Merkel would put the fate of Palestinians entirely in the hands of Israelis, the petition warned.
It pointed out that several European states had already diplomatically recognized the new Palestinian state, while saying the German stance on the issue was 'neither understable nor justifiable.'
More than 110 countries, including European Union members Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Hungary as well as Brazil, China, India, Russia and South Africa that have so far signalled readiness to back a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state.
End item/ 129
