The European Union has rejected requests that it back a Palestinian plan for gaining recognition as an independent state at the UN Security Council without Israeli consent.
Sweden’s Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said "the conditions are not there as of yet" for such a move.
The EU’s foreign ministers on Tuesday were discussing ways to coordinate with the United States
to get Palestinians and Israelis back to peace talks.
Bildt, whose country holds the EU presidency, says the Palestinian plan is "clearly an act borne by a difficult situation where they don’t see any road ahead."
The EU echoed comments made Monday night by a State Department official, saying that the US is opposed to the Palestinian plan to pursue unilateral statehood.
"We support the creation of a Palestinian state," spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters, but "we are convinced that has to be achieved through negotiations between two parties."
Jpost.com staff contributed to this report