EU rejects Palestinian statehood appeal

The European Union has rejected requests that it back a Palestinian plan for gaining recognition as an independent state at the U.N. Security Council without Israeli consent.

Sweden’s Foreign Minister Carl Bildt says “the conditions are not there as of yet” for such a move.

The EU’s foreign ministers on Tuesday were discussing ways to coordinate with the United States to get Palestinians and Israelis back to peace talks.

Bildt, whose country holds the EU presidency, says the Palestinian plan is “clearly an act borne by a difficult situation where they don’t see any road ahead.”