Greek flag
Greek flagFlash 90

The Greek Parliament is reportedly set to join a host of European countries that have recognized the “state of Palestine”.

A Greek news website, the Greek Reporter, reported on Thursday that a vote on the move is set for December 22.

According to the report, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias has already signed the decision according to which “Palestine” will be the official name of the Palestinian state, and a resolution draft is being prepared in collaboration with House Speaker Nikos Voutsis.

The news website further stated that recognition of “Palestine” will be held by the Greek Parliament and not by the Greek State, in order “not to disturb good relations with Israel,” according to the foreign ministry.

If Greece does indeed move to recognize “Palestine”, it will be the latest in a series of countries which have already done so.

Britain was the first country to vote to recognize “Palestine” last year. After Britain, Sweden announced it officially recognized the state of "Palestine".

Last December, Portugal's parliament adopted a resolution calling on the government to recognize a Palestinian state, though Portugal's Foreign Minister Rui Machete said after the vote the government "will choose the moment best suited" to recognize the Palestinian state.

A similar vote was later reportedly being planned in Belgium, where legislators were working on a resolution to recognize a Palestinian state.

Similar motions passed in France, Ireland, and Spain - but these moves are symbolic gestures and have little, if any, actual diplomatic effect.

Meanwhile, Liz Kendall, a candidate for the leadership of the British Labour party, recently said the party should not have voted in favor of the motion to recognize the Palestinian state.

Kendall argued that recognizing Palestine was not the “right thing to do” and argued that a “responsible opposition” would not have done it.