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Jefferson23

(30,099 posts)
Thu Jan 2, 2014, 09:20 PM Jan 2014

Palestinian leaders prefer to turn to UN than extend peace talks, senior official says

Abbas is under pressure to resume unilateral action if Israel refuses to make concessions and peace talks fail to show progress.
By Jack Khoury | Jan. 2, 2014

The Palestinian leadership is pessimistic about John Kerry’s upcoming visit and anticipates that the U.S. Secretary of State will try to exert pressure on the Palestinian Authority to extend the talks with Israel beyond the original nine-month deadline, a senior Palestinian official told Haaretz.

“Most of the Palestinian leadership, both from Fatah and from the Palestine Liberation Organization’s executive committee, are opposed to extending the talks due to recognition that in recent months no progress has been achieved. On the contrary, Israel has continued massive construction in the settlements on one hand and has been demolishing Palestinian homes on the other,” the official said, “and that’s in addition to damage to property by the settlers and many other violations that have explicitly shown that Israel is not seeking an agreement.”

Fatah sources have said that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will find it difficult to make a decision to extend the talks beyond their current April deadline unless he has a substantial accomplishment to show for the negotiations and would demand clear assurances from the Americans.

“Most of the leadership is urging Abbas to turn to the United Nations,” the source said, referring to the Palestinian desire to enhance its status in the international organization, “and without a show of progress such as an Israeli commitment to suspend settlement [construction] or a recognition of the 1967 borders and a release of prisoners [beyond the four agreed upon phases], it would be impossible to get consent for continued negotiations beyond April.”

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.566575

16 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Palestinian leaders prefer to turn to UN than extend peace talks, senior official says (Original Post) Jefferson23 Jan 2014 OP
I share their pessimism oberliner Jan 2014 #1
If any deal does not allow for a viable state for the Palestinians, their leadership should Jefferson23 Jan 2014 #2
No such offer will be presented for them to reject oberliner Jan 2014 #4
We'll see. n/t Jefferson23 Jan 2014 #6
Do u want an independent Palestine w/o a peace deal or end of conflict? shira Jan 2014 #11
Seeing how the Palestinians are alone at the negotiating table R. Daneel Olivaw Jan 2014 #3
What can the UN do? oberliner Jan 2014 #5
Recognise the Palestinians right to full UN membership. R. Daneel Olivaw Jan 2014 #7
The UN has declared 2014 the ‘Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People’ oberliner Jan 2014 #8
Actually Palestine has not been recognized as a full state. R. Daneel Olivaw Jan 2014 #9
OK oberliner Jan 2014 #10
If you want to be obtuse then do it by yourself. R. Daneel Olivaw Jan 2014 #12
I was asking for your opinion oberliner Jan 2014 #15
As they are a non-member state... shaayecanaan Jan 2014 #13
They can already do those things, correct? oberliner Jan 2014 #14
Abbas isn't saying that... shaayecanaan Jan 2014 #16
 

oberliner

(58,724 posts)
1. I share their pessimism
Fri Jan 3, 2014, 01:16 PM
Jan 2014

Considering the players involved, I see little to no chance of any kind of agreement on any of the core issues.

Jefferson23

(30,099 posts)
2. If any deal does not allow for a viable state for the Palestinians, their leadership should
Fri Jan 3, 2014, 01:28 PM
Jan 2014

reject it..but I don't know if they will. No surprise the message from the Palestinians is
to tell Kerry to go home...I would too.

 

oberliner

(58,724 posts)
4. No such offer will be presented for them to reject
Fri Jan 3, 2014, 09:13 PM
Jan 2014

The gap between the Israeli and Palestinian leadership is as wide as its ever been.

 

shira

(30,109 posts)
11. Do u want an independent Palestine w/o a peace deal or end of conflict?
Sat Jan 4, 2014, 02:44 PM
Jan 2014

Seems that by going to the UN, that's what Abbas is after. He just wants the occupation to end w/o having to sign any agreement.

How about yourself?

From Israel's perspective, they did this already in Gaza 8 years ago. The occupation there ended, but the world pretends it still goes on. What has Israel to gain from ending the occupation w/o a signed peace agreement?

 

R. Daneel Olivaw

(12,606 posts)
3. Seeing how the Palestinians are alone at the negotiating table
Fri Jan 3, 2014, 02:42 PM
Jan 2014

WRT settlements and security zones it makes sense for them to take matter to the UN.

The USA is not helping the situation, and the present efforts are just another feather in the cap for continued land theft and apartheid.
 

R. Daneel Olivaw

(12,606 posts)
7. Recognise the Palestinians right to full UN membership.
Sat Jan 4, 2014, 01:03 AM
Jan 2014

I'm sure that the US will stymie and dissuade the Palestinians from doing this though so they can be offered get less and less with each passing merry-go-round of talks with the Israelis.

Israel has no intention of return of what they have thefted so it would be more advantageous for the Palestinians to take their case for statehood directly to the UN.


But yes, i know, the UN is just a racist and bigoted organization that hates Israel.

 

oberliner

(58,724 posts)
8. The UN has declared 2014 the ‘Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People’
Sat Jan 4, 2014, 01:19 AM
Jan 2014

The Palestinians have taken their case for statehood directly to the UN and the United Nations voted overwhelmingly to recognize a Palestinian state.

A state of Palestine has already been recognized by 132 countries, and the Palestinians have 80 embassies and 40 representative offices around the world.

I'm not sure I understand what else you want the UN to do.

 

R. Daneel Olivaw

(12,606 posts)
9. Actually Palestine has not been recognized as a full state.
Sat Jan 4, 2014, 02:23 AM
Jan 2014

It has limited recognition of statehood.

The UN General Assembly has voted in favor of granting Palestine Non-member Observer State status.

Did you even bother to read what I wrote, or are you just phoning it in again?

Recognize(sp) the Palestinians right to full UN membership.

 

oberliner

(58,724 posts)
10. OK
Sat Jan 4, 2014, 09:59 AM
Jan 2014

So you think that's what they should be focusing on? Acquiring full UN membership?

How would that help improve the situation?

 

oberliner

(58,724 posts)
15. I was asking for your opinion
Sun Jan 5, 2014, 10:19 AM
Jan 2014

How would changing their status at the UN to a full member state help the Palestinians? Wouldn't they still have all the same issues with Israel that they have now? What would be different?

shaayecanaan

(6,068 posts)
13. As they are a non-member state...
Sun Jan 5, 2014, 06:00 AM
Jan 2014

theoretically they can petition the International Court of Justice, as other non-member states have done. They could ask the Court to formally declare that Israel is in breach of Article 46 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. That would be the closest thing to categorising the current government of Israel as war criminals. It may not make a huge difference, but it would probably make holidaying in Scandinavia a bit tricky.

The other thing they could start again would be joining UN agencies. It would be best to start with one that the US likes, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency. It would be even better if they could get Palestine on a few working groups and that sort of thing. The US might even find that they would need to consult with the Palestinians on international issues, which they would probably hate.

Another thing that the US hates is even being in the same forum with the Palestinians. Normally, people play nice and allow the US to speak before at international fora, notwithstanding the usual alphabetical order protocol (a notable exception was in South Africa, where the South Africans scheduled Palestine before Colin Powell). Instead, expect the UN to make the US representatives sit there and cop a jawboning from the Palestinians.

bit more details here:-

http://www.dipublico.com.ar/english/palestine-as-a-un-observer-state-does-this-make-palestine-a-state/


 

oberliner

(58,724 posts)
14. They can already do those things, correct?
Sun Jan 5, 2014, 09:21 AM
Jan 2014

They would not have to be a full UN member state in order to pursue what is described in those paragraphs.

shaayecanaan

(6,068 posts)
16. Abbas isn't saying that...
Sun Jan 5, 2014, 05:44 PM
Jan 2014

He is saying that he will return to the UN. I dont think that he means the security council. He will probably do some of those other things that I just discussed.

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