French lawmakers have voted in favour of recognizing Palestine as a state, sparking an immediate angry reaction from Israel which said such unilateral measures would harm efforts towards Middle East peace. French MPs voted 339 to 151 in favour of a motion urging the government to recognize the state of Palestine as a way of achieving a definitive resolution of the conflict. The vote, which is non-binding on the government but highly symbolic, comes as European countries seek alternative ways to restart the stalled Middle East process. The Palestinian leadership, meanwhile, expressed its gratitude for the vote and urged Paris to translate its parliament's vote into action.