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Palestinian Divisions on Statehood - by Stephen Lendman
On June 9, Haaretz writer Barak Ravid headlined, "Palestinian leadership divided over plan to seek UN recognition," saying:
Senior Palestinian Authority (PA) officials are "sharply divided over the unilateral move to seek" UN General Assembly recognition in September. Abbas wants it. Others don't "because they believe (it) could do more harm than good to their cause," hurting Israel perhaps but not helping themselves.
Those opposed include Prime Minister Salam Fayyad (a former World Bank/IMF official closely tied to Israeli/Washington/Western interests), former Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, and former Palestinian UN envoy Nasser al-Qudwa.
Ravid said al-Qudwa's "opposition is particularly significant because he is considered the most experienced Palestinian official (in) dealing with the United Nations." He's also a possible presidential candidate.
At issue is strong Israeli/Washington opposition in contrast to most other countries. Last March, in fact, Israel told UN Security Council members and other prominent EU countries it will act unilaterally if the General Assembly grants de jure membership in September inside 1967 borders, 22% of historic Palestine.
At the same time, Rafael Barak, Director General of Israel's Foreign Ministry, cabled over 30 Israeli embassies, telling them to lodge high-level diplomatic protests against Palestinian efforts for recognition, claiming (without justification that) doing so violates Oslo and may cause internal violence.
Foreign Ministry sources also said no response decision was taken on if de jure membership is granted. Some sources suggest it will refuse recognition and more, including annexing West Bank settlements, all East Jerusalem, closed military zones, restricted tourist locations, and Israeli commercial developments, leaving isolated urban areas and worthless scrub land for Palestine.
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