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    Germany upgrades Palestinian diplomatic status

    RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Germany has upgraded the Palestinian diplomatic representation in Berlin from a delegation to a mission headed by an ambassador, visiting German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle announced Wednesday.

    The decision followed similar steps in recent months by France, Spain, Portugal and Ireland. It was seen as a boost to the Palestinian quest for international recognition.

    Germany is one of the most influential countries in Europe and one of Israel's most loyal allies.

    The Palestinians have been campaigning for U.N. membership for a state of Palestine in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, the territories Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war.

    The Palestinians say they're trying to build leverage against Israel with the U.N. bid, but remain committed to negotiating the terms of Palestinian statehood. Israel claims the U.N. bid is a Palestinian attempt to delegitimize Israel and bypass negotiations.

    The Palestinians have won individual recognition of a state of Palestine from dozens of countries, but not from most of Western Europe. The status upgrades by Germany and other European countries do not necessarily mean they would vote for full U.N. membership.

    Commenting on Germany's decision, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said "the Palestinians will certainly interpret this as an encouragement to proceed with their rejection of direct talks, and that is a pity."

     

    52 comments

    • gifted1  •  Newark, New Jersey  •  3 mths ago
      Apparently Germany doesn`t want to be associated with another persecution of certain peoples.... AFter WW2 and the exposure of what unbridled hatred can do to intelligent people--- The Germans have said enough... never more in our future....

      Ironic that it would be the Palestinians benefiting from Germany`s enlightenment... from their own time of their prosecution of the Jews.... and that it is the Jews themselves who have stepped into the German shoes of the past....

      And I would expect Israeli backers from all over to disagree with that statement.... but the walling off of Palestinians in Gaza the withholding of needed goods, water control, holding of their money, the job discrimination, the confiscation of property, etc... are the same tactics used by the Germans just before Hitlers order for elimination.... and no doubt there are many ultra rightwing Israelis who would consider even that step.

      The USA damages itself significantly by ignoring this.... I take great pride in being American except for this.... It brings no honor to our country...
    • maryjanesuncle  •  3 mths ago
      So two nations that share the same intrests come togather..now you can compare notes on the best way to hate jews.
      • jared 3 mths ago
        ur so ignorant its sad
      • pepe peerz 3 mths ago
        Jared, if he is ignorant it must be that he ignores something. What is it that he ignores?
    • Eddie Sauls  •  New York, New York  •  3 mths ago
      Palestine should be a MEMBER of the U.N. it is a soveriegn NATION, but the TALKS should continue so there can be peace in that region, I believe once there are peace between ISRAEL and PALESTINE the whole world will be at PEACE. EDDIE
      • Truth Squad 3 mths ago
        Eddie good to see there are some rational thinkers
        Too many chicken hawks who want someone else to fight for them
      • jared 3 mths ago
        thats the point, keep negotiating but let palestinians do it from the standpoint of a nation with access to the icc etc
      • Eddie Sauls 3 mths ago
        Truth Squad I too don't like fighting WARS that could and should be avoided I still think if its at all possible we should try negotiating first but if there be no room for negotiations then war will be if we are our allies are threaten. EDDIE
    • Randy  •  Scottsville, Virginia  •  3 mths ago
      In order to have an ambassador, there first must be a country... Can I be the ambassador to represent the moon? Perhaps Mars? How about a spot in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean?
      • A Yahoo! User 3 mths ago
        no... there has never been a requirement to have a nation to receive an ambassador. You could spend a few moments looking it up yourself, there has been several cases in the past... It is certainly easier to play the fool though, good job!
      • Benjamin 3 mths ago
        Marc- Can you provide examples? I'm not disagreeing, but I just spent a few moments and came up with nothing. Do you mean like ambassador to South Sudan before it was formally nationalized, or ambassador to Bosnia when it was still Yugoslavia, or what?
      • usjustice101 3 mths ago
        @Marc Cali: I do believe that in order to have a formal ambassador one does need to be a sovereign country first. But in this day and age when everything is being more and more muddled and the classic rules are being thrown out the window nothing is suprising any more. In any case, it's outrageous for all those countries to take the steps they did in light of the fact the palestinians refuse to recognize Israel and refuse to coexist in peace.
    • usjustice101  •  3 mths ago
      All the European countries that upgraded the palestinians diplomatic status have no understanding of what they're playing with. Nor do they understand that instead of helping, they are actually hurting the peace process. Worst of all, they are doing it with complete disregard for the fact that the palestinians still refuse to recognize Israel and remain commited to its destruction. But perhaps this is more proof that all they are looking to do is kiss more arab /\ss for oil. Typically European -- no backbone.
      • Pirate Paul 3 mths ago
        What "peace" process? I think you misspelled stalling process.
      • Me 3 mths ago
        There is no way to peace, peace is the way. All this anger against the Palestinians, who are being badly treated by the Isreali's, is the road to war, not peace.
      • Roxanne 3 mths ago
        "the palestinians still refuse to recognize Israel and remain commited to its destruction." The ARABS will never recognize Israel, and they ALL remain commited to its destruction. Anyone who still doesn't get this is an ignorant fool.
    • Truth Squad  •  Kansas City, Missouri  •  3 mths ago
      Yigal what is a pity is your government not being put on terrorist regime list
      • jared 3 mths ago
        nah man, providing maronites with flares at night while they cut babies out womens' stomachs in sabra and shatilla, is that really terrorism? im being sarcastic, thanks for the comment
      • Truth Squad 3 mths ago
        Right Cluster bombs and bulldozing homes of familys of terroists is so much more civilized and not terror
    • Nirvana  •  Ram Allah, Palestinian Territories  •  3 mths ago
      Palestine will be your NEW BEST FRIEND!
    • Randy  •  Scottsville, Virginia  •  3 mths ago
      And where will the reciprocal German Embassy go in Palestine? Oops! That's right... there is no Palestine!!!
    • Eric Smoove  •  3 mths ago
      The only Palestinians are the Jews living in Israel. Throw out all of the Arabs !
    • Alpine  •  3 mths ago
      Apocalypse soon.
    • Dick  •  Manila, Philippines  •  3 mths ago
      Did it ever happen in history that a German benefited a Jew ?
      Germany will never change in spite of what they already did to the Jewish people !
    • usjustice101  •  3 mths ago
      France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and now Germany, are all hypocritical and disgusting, for giving legitimacy in the absence of a state to a bunch of terrorist goons who remain OPENLY commited to the destruction of Israel. They are cow-towing and pandering (or panhandling, take your pick) to the arab nations for oil. All are dirty politicians with no backbone, trying to buy the votes of their islamic constituencies -- the kind ot people who would sell their own mothers down the river for a barrel of oil and a vote. Absolutely the most disgusting political attitudes and actions in recent history!
    • Benjamin  •  3 mths ago
      In response, Palestine upgrades efforts to blow up Germany.
    • harold  •  Greensboro, North Carolina  •  3 mths ago
      yep here come a new group in town hitler's lost idiot and his cast of morons
    • No islam  •  New York, New York  •  3 mths ago
      gee i am supposed to be surprised by this? nazis supporting islamo nazis, just like during ww2
    • dictatorSlime  •  3 mths ago
      As soon as a giant smart wall is complete... it wont be difficult for those pesky German observers who will be sought by palestinians to mann the border to SEE so clearly, which side shoots missiles unprovoked first. Then what will germans do as part of such a UN peacekeeping force???? nnnnoooothin
    • Muffdiver  •  Irvine, California  •  3 mths ago
      Pales who??? You're mentioning a non existing British Mandate Palestine??? Why not Cromagnon, Neanderthal??? Is every greek, italian, spanish, austrian and african an ottoman, too??? Should they kill turks and fire missiles in turkey and make ankara theirs claiming they're ottomans!!! What??? Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and shall remain always, UNDIVIDED!!! NEVER AGAIN
    • Little man  •  San Francisco, California  •  3 mths ago
      Good job Germany. It time for every nation to follow suit.
    • anony mous  •  Atlanta, Georgia  •  3 mths ago
      Germany just taxed the reparation money given to former Belgian slaves of WWII that were in Germany..... It's like publically raping them and then laughing in their faces as they rape them again. Now Germany recognizes a non-state who is bent on destroying both Israel and the rest of the world with all of it's murderous nepotistic proxy arms.
      The Pseudostinians danced in the streets and gave out candy on 911.....
    • Proud American  •  3 mths ago
      Looks like Germany is once again out to get the Jews, this time by supporting their enemies...
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