Turmoil forecast over Palestinian statehood fight
WND
 Mahmoud Abbas visiting White Hous |
WASHINGTON – The gap between the United States and its ally Israel and other countries, especially Muslim nations, is widening as the Palestinian Authority prepares to raise the issue of Palestinian statehood before the United Nations this week, according to a report from Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.
A possible outcome is the further isolation of Israel in the Middle East and a heated-up atmosphere if the U.S. Congress follows through on a plan to cut funds to the Palestinian Authority.
Bilateral negotiations between the PA and Israel began in September 2010 but stalled after a few months. The Palestinians cut off discussions and blamed it on Israeli resumption of settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, two areas the Palestinians want to be part of their state.
Now, PA President Mahmoud Abbas has declared that there is no further basis for discussion, and he has decided to take to the U.N. the issue of statehood, knowing that the U.S. will veto the proposal if taken to the U.N. Security Council.
A U.S. veto promises to throw U.S. relations in the Middle East into greater turmoil and further undermine American influence to reach any kind of peace accord between the Israelis and Palestinians and, indeed, relations with other countries in the region.
Faced with a certain veto in the Security Council, Abbas believes his chances of statehood recognition are better in the U.N. General Assembly.
Daniel Rubinstein, the U.S. consul general in Jerusalem, recently told Saeb Erekat, chief Palestinian negotiator, that the U.S. "will take punitive measures" against the PA if it seeks to upgrade its position at the General Assembly.
"If the Palestinian Authority insists on going to the Security Council, the U.S. will use the veto," Rubinstein said. "And in case the Palestinian Authority seeks to upgrade its position at the U.N. through the General Assembly, the U.S. Congress will take punitive measures against it, including a cut in U.S. aid."
Sources said that there will be a virtual public relations battle undertaken before the U.N. over the dispute.
For the rest of this report and other Intelligence Briefs, please go to Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin:
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Palestine: Hamas not backing Palestinian statehood
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China/United States: U.N. vote underscores Beijing influence
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Turkey/Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood remains reserved
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Egypt/Israel: Stormy relations as Cairo challenges peace treaty
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Turkey/United States/Israel: Washington won't confront Ankara
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