By Gilad Atzmon

In a symbolic vote that has zero practical impact on British policy, MPs have voted to recognise Palestine as a state.

Palestine won yesterday the support of 274 to 12, a majority of 262 MPs, on a backbench motion that may suggest that Israel’s popularity is non existent.

The British vote followed an announcement by the new Swedish government that it would recognize Palestine as a state. However, following the outcry in Israel, the Swedish government toned down its position and said the recognition would take place only after peace talks.

The motion had been tabled by Labour’s Grahame Morris, who said it was right to take the “small but symbolically important” step of recognising the Palestinian right to statehood.

Needless to mention that Respect Party legislator George Galloway abstained yesterday because the proposal also recognizes Israel as a state.

In short, what the vote meant in practice was ‘Israel buying legitimacy’ for its unlawful existence through the back door. However, the vote clearly suggests that Israel popularity has dropped dramatically.