CMEP Bulletin: UN Developments, Defending the 1967 Borders, and Water Fights
If it weren’t clear before, Palestinians are most certainly gearing up for action in September at the United Nations.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the PLO Central Committee this week that he intends to seek recognition of a Palestinian state, even if negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis resume. This marks a hardening of his position, making it less likely that any potential alternatives will dissuade the Palestinians from seeking action at the UN.
Abbas has also called for “popular resistance” to back a UN bid. “In this coming period, we want mass action, organized and coordinated in every place…this is a chance to raise our voices in front of the world and say that we want our rights,” he said during the meeting in Ramallah.
As discussed last week, one emerging option for the Palestinians is to seek a status upgrade to “non-member state” as opposed to just an observer. This upgrade would define Palestine as a state and could allow access to UN agencies. Palestinian legal group Al-Haq discusses the options and implications of a UN bid in their latest legal brief.
Israel is also exploring its options for September. Israeli National Security Adviser Ya’akov Amidror is considering calling off the Oslo Accords if the PA goes through with their plan to gain UN recognition. An Israeli source told Ha’aretz, “Netanyahu is opposed to actions such as annexing settlements to Israel in response to a Palestinian move at the UN… Therefore, the NSC is evaluating other possibilities, one of them being voiding the Oslo Accords. In any case, there is no decision yet.”
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat responded to this idea, saying that Israel has failed to implement the Oslo Accords and that their actions on the ground, such as continued settlement building in the Palestinian Territories, effectively voided the Accords years ago. He told Xinhua, “We would have gained our independence since 1993 if Israel implemented the Oslo accords. Israel’s practices on the ground have practically canceled the Oslo agreement years ago.”
The Oslo Accords established the Palestinian Authority in 2003 and have served as the basis for negotiations for the past 18 years. They were intended to establish a framework for future negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.
Click here to continue reading this CMEP Bulletin, including the following items:
- Re-exaqmining a UN option?
- Israeli former officials come to Washington…
- The fight for water
- UNRWA budget shortfall
- Gaza summer camp
- U.S. Jews support Obama
- Thank you for your endorsement of peace!