Israel Upset at South American Countries

Online, December 7, 2010 (Newswire.com) - JERUSALEM, (UPI) -- Israel's Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing regret over a decision by some South American countries to recognize an independent Palestinian state.

The statement came in response to a decision by Argentina and Uruguay to follow Brazil's lead and recognize a "free and independent" Palestinian state, The Jerusalem Post said Tuesday.

Argentina's statement was followed by a similar declartion from Uruguay, undeterred by the sharp rebuke Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva received from Washington when he made a similar statement last week, the Arab Monitor Web site said.

Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timmerman read a letter sent by the country's President Cristina Kirchner to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas saying Buenos Aires recognizes "a free and independent" Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, the Web site said.

A statement issued by the Israeli Foreign Ministry Monday night said "recognition of a Palestinian state is a violation of the interim agreement signed by Israel and the Palestinian Authority in 1995, which established that the status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip will be discussed and solved through negotiations." The statement warned that attempts to bypass the agreement will only harm the trust of both sides, The Jerusalem Post said.