Abbas says new passports will refer to Palestinian state

Mr. Abbas said that his national authority will start issuing passports under the name State of Palestine in 2016.

Greece is set to recognize the state of Palestine in a parliamentary vote to be attended by Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, a government source said Sunday, December 20. Larry is our main news editor. He said that Greece will take the necessary steps to recognize Palestine “when the time is right”.

Israel has criticised the decision by the Greek parliament to recognise an independent Palestinian state as Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas announced plans to print “state of Palestine” on the passports it issues its residents.

Tsipras’ government is trying to balance improved relations with Israel with his party’s longstanding support for a Palestinian state.

“Greece can play the role of a bridge to reach a fair and viable solution to the Palestinian issue”, Tsipras said in statements to the Press following the meeting.

The Palestinian Authority considers over 130 countries to have recognised Palestine as a state, although the number is disputed and several recognitions by what are now European Union member states date back to the Soviet era.

“We no longer accept from anybody to use the name ‘The Palestinian Authority'”.

He thanked the deputies for a vote he said would “contribute to the creation of a Palestinian state”.

It should be noted that Palestine has been recognized by the Greek parliament, but not by the Greek state.

Last month, the Greek premier visited Israel and met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Relations between Israel and Greece have flourished in recent years.