Week 4 -British MPs pass a vote to recognize Palestine

British MPs pass a non-binding vote to recognize Palestine

DUTY: The lawmaker who presented the motion argued that Britain had a moral responsibility to act because of its history as a colonial power in the region

AFP, LONDON

British lawmakers voted overwhelmingly in favor of recognizing Palestine as a state on Monday, in a non-binding motion heavy with symbolism, but unlikely to change government policy.

The motion was passed by 274 in favor to 12 votes against, to “recognize the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel as a contribution to securing a negotiated two-state solution.”

The heated debate in the House of Commons was watched around the world and could have diplomatic implications, bolstering a campaign by Palestinian authorities for recognition.

It comes after the Swedish government announced it would recognize a Palestinian state — it would be the first EU member in Western Europe to do so — drawing anger from Israel.

The British government is not bound to act on the motion, as it was initiated by a backbencher from the opposition Labour Party, and said it would only recognize a Palestinian state at the appropriate time.

“The aspirations of the Palestinian people cannot be fully realized until there is an end to the occupation... and we believe this will only come through negotiations,” British Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Tobias Ellwood said. “Only an end to the occupation will ensure that Palestinian statehood becomes a reality on the ground. The UK will bilaterally recognize a Palestinian state when we judge that it can best help bring about the peace.”

British Prime Minister David Cameron abstained from the vote, along with other members of the government, which backs a two-state solution.

Fewer than half of all lawmakers cast ballots, but it drew cross-party support and was backed by 39 Conservative lawmakers and 192 Labour lawmakers, including party leader Ed Miliband.

Labour lawmaker Jack Straw, who was foreign secretary in the government of former prime minister Tony Blair, denied suggestions that the motion would have little effect.

“I believe the fact of the Israelis’ very intemperate reaction to the prospect of this House passing this resolution is proof that this resolution will make a difference,” Straw said.

The Labour lawmaker who presented the motion, Grahame Morris, argued that recognition of a Palestinian state could restart peace negotiations with Israel.

“It’s absolutely clear that Israel-Palestine relations are stuck at an impasse, as is our foreign policy,” Morris said as he opened the debate.

Morris said the vote was an opportunity to translate “talk about the two-state solution” into action and he argued that Britain had a moral responsibility to act because of its history as a colonial power in the region.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2014/10/15/2003602145

Structure of the Lead：

WHO- British MPs

WHEN- Wed, Oct 15, 2014

WHAT- British MPs pass a vote to recognize Palestine is a state.

WHY- Some people think the vote was an opportunity to translate the impasse of British and Israeli.

WHERE- UK Parliament

HOW- By vote

Keywords：

1. British：英國人

2. non-binding：不具約束力

3. negotiated：商議

4. implications：影響

5. Palestinian：巴勒斯坦人

6. bilaterally：雙方面的

7. abstained：棄權

8. impasse僵局

Week 3 - Vietnamese rioting

Vietnamese workers in Taiwan saddened by protests

Staff writer, with CNA

Several Vietnamese workers in Taiwan voiced concern over the violent anti-China protests in their home country last week and called on their compatriots to exercise restraint.

The Vietnamese workers told the Central News Agency that since the protests in Vietnam erupted earlier last week, they have been trying to tell their friends via social media that Taiwan is different from China and that patriotism should not be about violence, but wisdom.

Vietnamese protesters vandalized and set fire to scores of factories in the southern province of Binh Duong in protest against a Chinese oil-drilling venture in an area of the South China Sea that Hanoi regards as within its exclusive economic zone.

“I really don’t know what else I can do... I feel terrible and very sad because Taiwanese are all very friendly and nice,” said Le Thi-phuong, a 32-year-old domestic caregiver who has been working in Taipei for 10 years.

She added that she feels sorry for the Taiwanese businesspeople in Vietnam who have suffered losses as a result of the rioting.

One of Le’s friends, Ng Thi-hoa, who also works as a caregiver, said that she was deeply saddened by the incidents.

“Vietnam has finally seen some peace and prosperity recently, but now the riots are scaring all foreign investment away,” Ng said, adding that she has not been sleeping well since the unrest started.

The Vietnamese workers said they had been closely following the latest developments in their home country and hope their government will take immediate steps to restore order.

They also said they hope the incidents will not affect the good ties between Taiwan and Vietnam.

There are currently more than 489,000 foreign workers in Taiwan, 25.6 percent of whom are from Vietnam, making the country the second-largest source of migrant workers in Taiwan, according to official statistics.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2014/05/19/2003590718

Structure of the Lead：

WHO- Vietnamese workers in Taiwan

WHEN- Mon, May 12, 2014 

WHAT- Several Vietnamese workers in Taiwan fell sad to violent anti-China protests in their home country and hope their government will take immediate steps to restore order.

WHY- They think Taiwanese people is friendly, Taiwan is different from China.

WHERE- not give

HOW- By media

Keywords：

1. compatriots：國人、同胞

2. restraint：克制

3. erupted：爆發

4. patriotism：愛國主義

5. vandalized：破壞

6. exclusive economic zone：專屬經濟區

7. rioting：騷動

8. unrest：動盪不安的狀態