Abbas orders official use of ‘State of Palestine’
PALESTINE: Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas gave orders
Sunday for work to begin on new passports, ID cards, drivers’ licences
and stamps reading “State of Palestine,” official media said.
The decree, carried by the official WAFA news agency, came in the
wake of the Palestinians’ successful bid late last year for non-member
observer state status at the United Nations over intense Israeli and US
opposition. Abbas said the changed language on official documents would
help strengthen the Palestinian state “on the ground and build its
institutions... and its sovereignty over the its land.”
Already last week, he ordered the foreign ministry and embassies
around the world to begin using “State of Palestine” in official
correspondence.
Previously, official documents issued by Abbas’s government,
including passports and other identification documents, had been
labelled as issued by the Palestinian Authority, which he heads.
Israel has criticised the Palestinians for their successful bid for
enhanced UN status, saying Palestinian statehood can only be achieved
through bilateral talks with the Jewish state.
The Israeli foreign ministry declined to comment on the latest
Palestinian move.
The Palestinians say the UN upgrade will strengthen their position in
negotiations with Israel and is a complement to any future talks.
AFP |