Foreign Ministry won't accept 'Palestine' missives

[azurnoir]

The directive was distributed among Israeli embassies abroad by Foreign Ministry employee Galia Levanon, who said Israeli embassies have been receiving official letters from international organizations and local foreign ministries that include the phrases "occupied Palestine," "occupied Jerusalem," "occupied territories" and "the state of Palestine."

Levanon instructed Israeli diplomats abroad to return any letters containing "problematic terminology" to the sender and ask that they be revised. The embassies were told to accept letters containing the phrase "Palestinian Authority territories."

After their drive for full UN membership failed in the UN Security Council last year amid US opposition, the Palestinians have launched a watered-down bid for recognition as a "non-member state," similar to the Vatican's UN status.

This request can be approved by the 193-nation UN General Assembly and is likely to pass.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4312578,00.html

[David__77]

1. Obviously were PA to seek full member status, the UN would give it to them.

It is interesting, because so many neo-liberals worship the UN, but many hate that there are actually areas in which there is no US veto.

[KimonoGirl]

2. How sad and yet so typical

Can they be anymore pathetic? These are the right-wing nutters in Israel's government. So of course!

It's funny how badly Israelis want Palestinians to recognize them as a sovereign state (with questionable borders) yet Israel's arrogance to not extend that right to a Palestinian state is disgusting. That never seems to come up, especially when they usurped and pushed out the Palestinians from their homeland to begin with. The irony is rich and so distasteful.

[azurnoir]

3. the PLO did recognize Israel on 9/9/1993

The PLO recognizes the right of the State of Israel to exist in peace and security.

The PLO accepts United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338.

The PLO commits itself to the Middle East peace process, and to a peaceful resolution of the conflict between the two sides and declares that all outstanding issues relating to permanent status will be resolved through negotiations.

The PLO considers that the signing of the Declaration of Principles constitutes a historic event, inaugurating a new epoch of peaceful coexistence, free from violence and all other acts which endanger peace and stability. Accordingly, the PLO renounces the use of terrorism and other acts of violence and will assume responsibility over all PLO elements and personnel in order to assure their compliance, prevent violations and discipline violators

In view of the promise of a new era and the signing of the Declaration of Principles and based on Palestinian acceptance of Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, the PLO affirms that those articles of the Palestinian Covenant which deny Israel's right to exist, and the provisions of the Covenant which are inconsistent with the commitments of this letter are now inoperative and no longer valid. Consequently, the PLO undertakes to submit to the Palestinian National Council for formal approval the necessary changes in regard to the Palestinian Covenant
.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Peace/recogn.html

with the Palestinian government recognized by the West the PLO handles international relations/affairs and the PA handles domestic relations/affairs both are presently headed by Mahmoud Abbas

the current flap over recognition is that Israel decided the former recognition would not do and now is demanding the Palestinians recognize Israel as the Jewish State even though close to 25% of Israel's citizens are not Jewish