Berlin has no plans to immediately recognise a Palestinian state because that would undermine any efforts to reach a negotiated solution with Israel, a German government spokesman said Friday. “A negotiated two-state solution remains our goal, even if it seems a long way off today. … The recognition of Palestine is more likely to come at the end of such a process and such decisions would now be rather counterproductive,” the spokesperson said during a press conference. Germany’s move sets it at odds with other countries including Australia, United Kingdom, France and Canada that have rushed to recognise a Palestinian state under different conditions, drawing praise from the Hamas terrorist group.
