- Joined
- Oct 17, 2007
- Messages
- 11,862
- Reaction score
- 10,300
- Location
- New York
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Centrist
The Jerusalem Post reported:
Israel will pursue its own unilateral steps if the Palestinians do not return to the negotiating table and instead seek UN support for unilateral moves to declare a state within the pre- 1967 lines, a government source told The Jerusalem Post late Thursday night.
“If the Palestinians think that unilateral moves are a one-way street, they are sadly mistaken. It is an option that both sides have,” said the source.
With the latest Palestinian boycott of negotiations having failed to extract additional unilateral Israeli concessions despite international pressure having been placed on Israel, the Palestinian leadership has been offering not too subtle hints that it could seek UN approval for a Palestinian state within pre-1967 war boundaries. Although the Security Council would very likely reject such a proposal as it would run counter to the terms of UNSC Res. 242, there have been some hints that the Palestinians could seek an end run through the reliably anti-Israel General Assembly.
Israel has now made clear that it could also pursue unilateral options should the Palestinians resort to such a course. IMO, the ideal outcome of this Israeli hint would be to deter Palestinian unilateralism, but that would only happen if the Palestinians believe that (1) Israel would be serious about pursuing such a course, (2) the Palestinians would only be able to gain a truncated state afterward, and (3) there would be no international "rescue" of the Palestinians from such a self-inflicted fate.
Ultimately, a settlement of the historic conflict should be agreed through negotiations. Such an outcome would be far preferable to unilateral arrangements. Hence, deterrence of a Palestinian resort to such moves would be a positive development.
If the international community, including the UN wish to act in a constructive fashion rather than hardening divisions, they should press the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible. Otherwise, so long as the Palestinians believe they can gain unilateral concessions--an expectation that is stoked whenever the international community misplaces blame on Israel for what is a Palestinian walkout and refusal to negotiate--they will avoid talks to see if they can gain such concessions. Avoidance of negotiations, of course, will only delay prospects for a settlement.
Israel will pursue its own unilateral steps if the Palestinians do not return to the negotiating table and instead seek UN support for unilateral moves to declare a state within the pre- 1967 lines, a government source told The Jerusalem Post late Thursday night.
“If the Palestinians think that unilateral moves are a one-way street, they are sadly mistaken. It is an option that both sides have,” said the source.
With the latest Palestinian boycott of negotiations having failed to extract additional unilateral Israeli concessions despite international pressure having been placed on Israel, the Palestinian leadership has been offering not too subtle hints that it could seek UN approval for a Palestinian state within pre-1967 war boundaries. Although the Security Council would very likely reject such a proposal as it would run counter to the terms of UNSC Res. 242, there have been some hints that the Palestinians could seek an end run through the reliably anti-Israel General Assembly.
Israel has now made clear that it could also pursue unilateral options should the Palestinians resort to such a course. IMO, the ideal outcome of this Israeli hint would be to deter Palestinian unilateralism, but that would only happen if the Palestinians believe that (1) Israel would be serious about pursuing such a course, (2) the Palestinians would only be able to gain a truncated state afterward, and (3) there would be no international "rescue" of the Palestinians from such a self-inflicted fate.
Ultimately, a settlement of the historic conflict should be agreed through negotiations. Such an outcome would be far preferable to unilateral arrangements. Hence, deterrence of a Palestinian resort to such moves would be a positive development.
If the international community, including the UN wish to act in a constructive fashion rather than hardening divisions, they should press the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible. Otherwise, so long as the Palestinians believe they can gain unilateral concessions--an expectation that is stoked whenever the international community misplaces blame on Israel for what is a Palestinian walkout and refusal to negotiate--they will avoid talks to see if they can gain such concessions. Avoidance of negotiations, of course, will only delay prospects for a settlement.
Last edited: