Article content continued

The vote to recognize a Palestinian state should concern Israel, Britain’s ambassador to the Jewish state suggested Tuesday, saying it reflected shifting public sentiment in Britain and around the world following the summer war in Gaza.

Ambassador Matthew Gould said it was “significant” because it reveals negative attitudes toward Israel following its 50-day war with the Islamic militant group Hamas.

The violence ended with a truce but left more than 2,100 Palestinians dead, most of them civilians, according to the United Nations. On the Israeli side, 72 people died, most of them soldiers.

In an interview on Israel Radio, Gould suggested that although the vote was symbolic, Israel should take note. “I think it is right to be concerned about what it signifies in terms of the direction of public opinion,” Gould said.

The British House of Commons’ vote Monday came nearly 100 years after Britain issued its famous Balfour Declaration in 1917, which affirmed its support for establishing a home for the Jewish people in Palestine. Israel was founded in 1948.

The decision is the latest move in Europe to show support for the Palestinians.

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Loefven said on Oct. 3 the Palestinians have “legitimate demands for national sovereignty,” and therefore his nation “will recognize the State of Palestine” at some point. Several other European states, including Bulgaria, Cyprus, Hungary, Poland and Romania, have made similar declarations.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki welcomed the British vote, saying it corrects the historical injustice that denied the rights of the Palestinian people.

“Palestine expects the British government to recognize the state of Palestine and respect the decision and translate it to immediate recognition, confirming its commitment to the peace process in accordance with the principle of two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside the state of Israel living in peace and security,” he said.

With files from The Associated Press