<p>The comments from Industry and Trade Minister Benjamin Ben Eliezer come after Ecuador formally recognised Palestine as an independent state on Friday, following the lead of other South American countries.<br /><br />Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia gave formal recognition earlier this month while Uruguay said it will do so early in the new year.<br /><br />"I would not be surprised if within a year the entire world, even the US, recognizes a Palestinian state, then we will have to explain how this happened," Ben Eliezer told reporters ahead of the weekly cabinet meeting.<br /><br />Israel opposes any recognition of a Palestinian state, saying its establishment must be reached through negotiations and not through unilateral moves.<br /><br />But with the breakdown of peace talks, the Palestinians have said they are considering new diplomatic options, and welcomed the recognition from the Latin American nations.<br /><br />Direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians, the first for nearly two years, began in Washington on September 2. But they quickly stalled, when a 10-month Israeli settlement freeze expired on September 26.<br /><br />The Palestinians refused to resume negotiations without a new moratorium and on December 7 Washington admitted that it had failed to convince Israel to renew the building ban, despite offering a generous package of incentives.<br /><br />Ben Eliezer, from the dovish Labour Party, said Israel must do all it can to get talks back on track.<br /><br />"We must do all everything possible to renew talks with the Palestinians, even if it means a settlement freeze for a few months," he said.<br /><br />Palestinian negotiators have emphasised a set of alternatives to new talks, including seeking recognition of a Palestinian state along the borders that existed in 1967, before the Six Day War.</p>
<p>The comments from Industry and Trade Minister Benjamin Ben Eliezer come after Ecuador formally recognised Palestine as an independent state on Friday, following the lead of other South American countries.<br /><br />Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia gave formal recognition earlier this month while Uruguay said it will do so early in the new year.<br /><br />"I would not be surprised if within a year the entire world, even the US, recognizes a Palestinian state, then we will have to explain how this happened," Ben Eliezer told reporters ahead of the weekly cabinet meeting.<br /><br />Israel opposes any recognition of a Palestinian state, saying its establishment must be reached through negotiations and not through unilateral moves.<br /><br />But with the breakdown of peace talks, the Palestinians have said they are considering new diplomatic options, and welcomed the recognition from the Latin American nations.<br /><br />Direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians, the first for nearly two years, began in Washington on September 2. But they quickly stalled, when a 10-month Israeli settlement freeze expired on September 26.<br /><br />The Palestinians refused to resume negotiations without a new moratorium and on December 7 Washington admitted that it had failed to convince Israel to renew the building ban, despite offering a generous package of incentives.<br /><br />Ben Eliezer, from the dovish Labour Party, said Israel must do all it can to get talks back on track.<br /><br />"We must do all everything possible to renew talks with the Palestinians, even if it means a settlement freeze for a few months," he said.<br /><br />Palestinian negotiators have emphasised a set of alternatives to new talks, including seeking recognition of a Palestinian state along the borders that existed in 1967, before the Six Day War.</p>