Germany will not recognize Palestine before Israel deal

EU heavyweight Germany has said it will not recognize the state of Palestine before an agreement with Israel is reached.

Underlining Germany's support for a two-state solution to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict on Monday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Martin Schaefer told a press conference: "For the German government, the step of recognizing Palestine as a state depends on a solution in negotiations with Israel."

EU member Sweden's newly elected Prime Minister Stefan Lofven announced during his inaugural address to parliament on October 3 that his country would recognize Palestine as a state.

The step would make Sweden the first long-standing EU member-state to do so.

Earlier this month, the Palestinian presidency distributed a draft resolution to the representatives of the 15-member states of the United Nations Security Council on ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories by November 2016.