31 October 2014 (19:04 UTC-07 Tango 30 October 2014)/07 Muharram 1436/09 Aban 1393/08 Jia-Xu (9th month leap) 4712

“Our decision comes at a critical time because over the last year we have seen how the peace talks have stalled, how decisions over new settlements on occupied Palestinian land have complicated a two-state solution and how violence has returned to Gaza. By making our decision we want to bring a new dynamic to the stalled peace process.”-Margot Wallstrom, Sweden’s foreign minister

The Kingdom of Sweden has joined Bulgaria, Cyprus, Malta, Romania, Poland and  Czech Republic in recognizing Palestine as separate from Israel.

Israel is retaliating by removing its ambassador to Sweden.  Interestingly the bigoted Israeli news media declared Sweden to be the “first European” country to recognize Palestine, but Bulgaria, Romania, Poland and Czech Republic are European countries.  Apparently Israel does not recognize them as such, just like it refuses to recognize Palestinians!  Cyprus and Malta are technically European but are island countries in the Mediterranean Sea.