NEW YORK, Nov. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC today praised the European Union and the United States for opposing a Palestinian proposal to solicit UN Security Council endorsement of a unilateral declaration of statehood.

"Why does the Palestinian Authority continually seek solutions far from its territory when Israel is next door?" said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "Prime Minister Netanyahu eagerly awaits Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's return to the negotiating table without preconditions."

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, who currently holds the rotating presidency of the 27-nation EU, said UN recognition of a Palestinian state should occur when the state is actually established through negotiations. "The time is not ripe now," said Bildt.

Meanwhile, the State Department declared that the U.S. supports the creation of a Palestinian state but "it has to be achieved through negotiations between the parties."

AJC's Harris pointed out that Abbas had declared at the Fatah Party Congress in August his unwillingness to immediately restart negotiations with Israel. "This grievously mistaken approach to peacemaking is harming, firstly, the Palestinian people and, secondly, the chances to achieve a comprehensive agreement that assures peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians."

"History has demonstrated time and again that Israel is more than ready to negotiate with true partners, as with Egypt's Anwar Sadat and Jordan's King Hussein," said Harris.

"Mahmoud Abbas has the responsibility to his own people to resume negotiations with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu."

SOURCE American Jewish Committee

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