Mohammad Shtayyeh
Mohammad ShtayyehReuters

Palestinian Authority (PA) cabinet leader Mohammad Shtayyeh on Wednesday called on countries in the European Union to hurry up and recognize a Palestinian state.

Speaking through Zoom with a number of members of the European Parliament, Shtayyeh explained that recognition of the “State of Palestine” is important to maintain the two-state solution and to fight the Israeli annexation plan.

"We left the door open to any serious initiative that seeks to revive the peace process under multilateral international sponsorship led by the Quartet, as the success of the peace process depends on the existence of a fair mediator, clear and agreed upon principles, a serious partner and a set timetable," said the PA cabinet leader.

He said that Israel violated all the agreements it signed, and therefore the Palestinians cannot now be bound by these agreements.

Shtayyeh also said that the Israeli “annexation plan” will have implications not only for the Palestinians but also for security in the entire region.

The PA is outraged over the coalition agreement between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, which stipulates that the government can apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria this coming July.

The PA has also condemned the perceived US support for the sovereignty move. The PA “justice minister” recently threatened the US with lawsuits for supporting it.

Earlier on Wednesday it was reported that PA leaders are looking to form an international coalition to block the Israeli sovereignty bid.

Palestinian Arab officials have been pressuring countries to officially recognize “Palestine”, in a move meant to bypass direct peace talks with Israel.

Those calls have grown since US President Donald Trump unveiled his peace plan for Israel and the Palestinian Arabs. PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas was quick to reject the US plan and said it would be relegated to the "dustbin of history."