Thailand officially recognizes Palestinian statehood
Thai Foreign Ministry says government informed Palestinian delegation and all UN member states that it ‘has given recognition to the state of Palestine.’
By The Associated Press Tags: Palestinians UNThailand says it has recognized Palestine as an independent state. Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi said Friday that Thailand has informed the Palestinian delegation and all member states at the United Nations in New York that it “has given recognition to the state of Palestine.”
The move comes as Palestine pushes for full membership at the UN, a bid Washington opposes because it says a political settlement with Israel must be reached first.
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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaking at the UN General Assembly, Sept. 23, 2010 |
| Photo by: AP |
Thailand has friendly ties with Israel and is a major tourist destination for Israeli travelers.
Thai officials have expressed concern that the recent arrest of a Lebanese man allegedly linked to Hezbollah and plotting an attack in Bangkok could hurt ties with Middle Eastern countries.
On Monday, Thai police found 400 boxes of bomb-making materials in a shop believed to be linked to a plot to carry out terrorist attacks.
The materials - urea and ammonium nitrate - were found packed in electric fan boxes in a building 35 kilometers south-east of Bangkok, days after the U.S. embassy warned of possible attacks on tourist sites in the capital.
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Why should the two be connected? Thailand officially recognizes Palestine, a free democratic country, as a state. That is one issue. A story about a Lebanese man is another. It would have been more instructive to point to why Thailand is supporting a Palestinian state.
"Thailand is irrelevant" "Thais are antisemites, they were always" "Boycott Thailand. Travel to Cyprus instead" (until Cyprus does the same, that is)
May your tribe increase!
palestinians should stop this meaningless attempt at delegitimization of israel and start real negotiations - they will never ever get a state this way
And anyone taking bets how long it will take before the number of states that recognize "Palestine" overtakes the number of states that recognize "Israel"?
Israeli tourists say goodbye to Thailand forever!
Recognition to a state that does not exist. Thais must be nuts.
great news for Czech suporters of free Palestine..
has no business deciding things as serious as Palestine
Haaretz either has the most liberal approach to free speech, or none whatsoever. I am sure we are all grateful to John for giving us occasion to consider such serious business.
I hope Israelis don't holiday there anymore