EuropeBoard

Speech Given in English at the Skarlagen Parliament builing, transcribed by Christina Birch

As you all know, the situation in Israel and Palestine has recently escalated to a worrying level. I can only imagine how terrifying it must be to live in that land at this time, where rockets fly overhead and anyone could lose their homes, their possessions or their lives at any moment.

I speak to you today to provide the Skarlagen position on this conflict. In the past St Scarlett has remained relatively neutral on this issue. We have recognised Palestine's observer status to the UN but have never had diplomatic relations with the state and have always tied our diplomatic opinions on the country to those of Israel itself. However, based on the current actions of the Israeli government I have decided it is time for us to take a stand.

While many countries in the west are complacent in Israeli actions, including, most disappointingly, our close allies such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Canada and the United States. Choosing to either say nothing or to stay completely neutral, I would say this is no longer enough. It is clear to me who the aggressor is in this conflict, and that is a nation that is veering dangerously close to become an apartheid state, a nation that will not declare whether or not it possesses nuclear weapons but clearly possesses the strength, money and international allies to do so. It is for this reason that I have decided to close our embassy in Tel Aviv, we will not hold diplomatic ties to Israel until they end their aggressive tactics against the Palestinian and other Arab peoples living in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel itself.

In addition to this St Scarlett declares official recognition of the state of Palestine, the country will now be handled separately from Israel. We are considering opening diplomatic relations with the state once things have settled down in the future, when this occurs we will also reconsider our diplomatic ties to Israel.

This does not however mean we are abandoning the Israeli people, St Scarlett stands with the families on both sides of the conflict who have suffered and lost during these terrible times. St Scarlett will not be withdrawing its recognition of the state of Israel, choosing instead to recognise both states, as our friends in Sweden and Iceland have done.

My heart goes out to anyone affected and my government hopes that some day a resolution can be found. Thank you.

nation=st_scarlett/detail=factbook/id=1034576