Brussels, 25/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - For the moment, the EU will only “note” what was said by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in a speech delivered on Saturday 23 July, formally launching the international campaign for UN recognition of the state of Palestine. The EU confines itself to recalling the recent Council of Ministers statement, said the spokeswoman of EU High Representative Catherine Ashton.
The campaign to win recognition of the state of Palestine is likely, ultimately, to come up against the US veto and to embarrass the EU, which would prefer more time to be given to negotiations (see EUROPE 10421). This is not a “tactical choice” but one that came about after attempts at dialogue with Israel had been exhausted, Abbas told Palestinian ambassadors and delegates in Europe, assembled in Istanbul in preparation for the international campaign to win recognition for the independence of their state. “Neither will it be a unilateral action”, said Abbas; quoted by the Palestinian press agency Wafa, he described the Israeli settlement of the West Bank as “the unilateral action par excellence”. The possibility of coming up against a US veto would not seem to discourage the Palestinian leader, though “we don't want to find ourselves in open confrontation” with Washington, he said.
Going to the UN “is not to isolate Israel”, Abbas added. It is “not our choice, but there is no other way”, he said, “given the Israeli obstinacy” halting the peace process when, “with Ehud Olmert (Ed: Benjamin Netanyahu's predecessor), we had come to an acceptable level of mutual understanding”. However, “there is nothing stopping a return to the negotiating table”, with the Israelis. Going to the UN Security Council will not resolve all the issues under discussion. Direct talks will have to be opened between the two sovereign states “and we are ready to co-exist with our neighbour once our rights have been recognised”.
Charismatic Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti has called from his Israeli prison for mass demonstrations in September in support of the request made to the UN. Israel is taking the threat seriously. An Israeli military commander, quoted by the Jerusalem Post on condition of anonymity, has said that Israel will strengthen its border defences, against possible protests.
Israel considering rescinding Oslo Accords
According to the daily Haaretz of Monday 25 July, the Israeli prime minister is considering annulling the 1995 Oslo Accords, which form the basis of the on-going peace talks. According to Haaretz, three weeks ago, Netanyahu called on National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror to begin consideration with ministers of how to react to the Palestinian initiative at the UN. He called on the National Security Council to bring forward political recommendations. An unnamed high-ranking official said that such a move would not be an Israeli initiative, simply a riposte. (F.B./transl.rt)