Israel, Palestine and the United Nations

The question of UN recognition of Palestine as a non-member state is becoming a centerpiece of the broader issue of Israel-Palestine negotiations over borders, recognition of Israel and Palestine as states by each other, and the Rubics Cube question of the status and integrity of Jerusalem. Palestine says its bid for UN recognition of a state of Palestine is a last-ditch attempt to rescue peace efforts based on a two-state premise that is being severely undercut by Israel's settlement construction, rejecting Israel's charge that Palestine is trying to bypass negotiations. Hanan Ashrawi, a senior Palestinian official, urged the US to drop its opposition to the bid, dismissing Washington's stance as "pathetic" and harmful to American interests in the region. While the Palestinians have come under intense pressure from the US, Britain and others to modify their UN bid, this week's announcement by the French government that it will vote for Palestine recognition, followed by rumors in Europe that Britain may follow, has left America more isolated in its stance against recognition, although Switzerland, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands and Australia may vote with the US. Palestine Authority president Mahmoud Abbas plans to ask the UN General Assembly to recognize Palestine in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem - areas Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005 but still controls access points. Palestine insists that its UN bid is only meant to improve Palestinian leverage and secure the pre-1967 war frontiers as the baseline for future border talks - an idea Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects. Some former Israeli prime ministers accepted the 1967 lines as a basis for talks, with modifications to be negotiated, including land swaps that would enable Israel to annex some of the largest settlements. But a deal was never sealed. Half a million Israelis now live in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Deputy US Secretary of State William Burns met with Abbas Wednesday to attempt to halt the UN bid, according to Abbas aide Saeb Erekat. Burns told Abbas that the UN vote goes against US interests and that President Obama would push in 2013 to see a Palestinian state formed through negotiations. But, Obama has told the world that he agrees with the use of the pre-1967 borders as the starting point for negotiations and Netanyahu is on record as rejecting the American President's position. The Israeli governing coalition's right wing says that by going to the UN, the Palestinians violate "both the spirit and the word of signed agreements to solve issues through negotiations." Palestinian officials counter that their historic UN bid is meant to salvage a peace deal. But Palestine stands to gain other benefits from UN recognition. -- membership in UN agencies and international bodies, for example making them eligible for loans from the International Monetary Fund. Most significantly, it could open the door to a new attempt to join the International Criminal Court and seek an investigation into alleged war crimes by Israel in the occupied territories. The Palestine Authority unilaterally recognized ICC jurisdiction in 2009 and pressed prosecutors to open an investigation into Israel's previous Gaza offensive. Prosecutors noted at the time that the court's founding treaty, the Rome Statute, is only open to states. Israel has not signed the statute and does not recognize the court's jurisdiction. Israel counters that Palestinians are trying to pursue war crimes charges against Israel at the ICC. If the Palestinians use their upgraded international status "as a tool to confront Israel in the international arena, there will be a response," according to unnamed Israeli officials. Until then, Israel will be bound by its obligations to the Palestinians under existing peace agreements, but won't necessarily go beyond them. ~~~~~~~ Dear readers, it would be folly to suggest that I have the answer to the Israel-Palestine problem. But forcing UN recognition down the throat of Israel seems to be counter-productive. Recognizing the right of Israel to exist might produce more positive results. And, President Obama's public support for the pre-1967 borders as the starting point for talks was equally ineffective. But Prime Minister Netanyahu must bring something to the pre-table -- perhaps a firm commitment to stop settlement construction during talks, combined with a willingness to simultaneously recognize Palestine as a state IF Palestine simultaneously recognizes Israel. These compromises, along with the full Palestine Authority acceptance of the points already agreed to between Israel and Gaza, might be enough to get the parties back to the negotiating table. The world is watching and praying that a solution will be found before an unintended event sets fire to the Middle East powderkeg.