The German government said on Friday that it had no intention of recognizing a Palestinian state at this time, as such a move would undermine efforts to reach a negotiated solution to the conflict with Israel, Reuters reports.
"A negotiated two-state solution remains our goal, even if it seems distant today. Recognition of Palestine will probably come at the end of this process, and such decisions now would be rather counterproductive," a German government spokesman said during a press conference.
In recent months, a number of countries, including Australia, Britain, France and Canada, have announced their readiness to recognize a Palestinian state under certain conditions.
The United States and the European Union continue to officially support the two-state concept, but events on the ground and heightened tensions in the region make such a solution increasingly difficult to achieve.