Three Lithuanian lawmakers have submitted a draft resolution urging President Gitanas Nausėda and the government to propose that the parliament, Seimas, recognise Palestine as an independent state.
“The Seimas calls on the president and the government, in accordance with the Constitution, to initiate and submit to the Seimas a proposal on the recognition of Palestine as an independent, sovereign state, whose territory consists of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip according to the 1967 borders,” the resolution states.
The draft resolution was submitted by two Nemunas Dawn party members, Karolis Neimantas and Petras Dargis, and Rimas Jonas Jankunas of the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union and the Christian Families Alliance group.
The move follows recognition of Palestinian statehood by the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Australia, and several other countries in September.
President Nausėda has previously expressed scepticism about such moves, saying recognising Palestinian statehood would be “forced” and unlikely to bring short-term peace to the region. Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys expressed a similar view, noting such a step would not resolve humanitarian problems in the Gaza Strip.
The resolution also calls for the enforcement of International Criminal Court arrest warrants during visits to Lithuania by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. It urges Lithuania to support a comprehensive international investigation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since October 7, 2023, and ensure accountability for crimes committed during that period.
While recognising Israel’s right to self-defence, the resolution condemns “the ongoing and systematic occupation of Palestinian territories” and expresses solidarity with both Jewish and Palestinian people. It urges both sides to cease hostilities and work toward a two-state solution.
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