Palestinians Ask U.N. to End Israeli Occupation by 2016
The Palestinians are asking the U.N. Security Council to set November 2016 as the deadline for ending the Israeli occupation, according to a draft resolution obtained by Agence France-Presse on Wednesday.
The draft, circulated to council members, follows Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' address last week to the U.N. General Assembly in which he called for a fast-track to statehood.
The text, put forward by the Arab group, calls for "the full withdrawal of Israel, the occupying power, from all of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, as rapidly as possible and to be fully completed within a specified timeframe, not to exceed November 2016."
It calls for the world body to respect "the independence and sovereignty of the state of Palestine and the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people."
U.N. diplomats said the draft resolution stood little chance of being adopted, but the move presents the Security Council with a challenge on how to advance the Middle East peace track if the Palestinian demand is rejected.
European countries and the United States have steadfastly maintained that the best path to Palestinian statehood is through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, and not by imposing a deadline.
"We are aware of President Abbas’ plans and we continue to believe -- to strongly believe -- that the only way to a negotiated solution is through negotiations between the two parties," U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said Tuesday.
Abbas told reporters in Ramallah late Tuesday that the Palestinians risk losing $700 million in annual U.S. aid over the push for a U.N. Security Council resolution.
"The Palestinian leadership is coming under heavy pressure not to go to the Security Council or join international organizations, and the main pressure relates to aid," he said.
"Relations with the U.S. administration are strained... and it is not in our interest to worsen it. But at the same time, we cannot go back on our decision."
Palestinian diplomats said they were aware of U.S. opposition to setting a deadline, but that they hoped to tap into support from the broader international community.
"The resolution itself is based on the parameters that have been constantly reiterated by the EU, the General Assembly itself and the Security Council," said a diplomat, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
In the four-page text, the Security Council would assert "its vision of a region where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side-by-side in peace within secure and recognized borders."
It demands the "complete cessation of all Israeli settlement activities in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem."
The Palestinians and Jordan, a Security Council member, are discussing the draft with a view to presenting possible amendments, but a vote is still far off.
The push for a U.N. Security Council resolution on ending the Israeli occupation comes at a time of much pessimism over the Israel-Palestinian peace process.
A high-profile bid by U.S. Secretary John Kerry to re-start negotiations collapsed in April and was followed by the devastating 50-day war in Gaza, the third conflict in the enclave in six years.
"How this is handled will be important," said a Security Council diplomat. "We would want it to be handled in a way that strengthens chances of a resumption of talks."
A previous draft resolution meant to consolidate the Gaza ceasefire by setting up a monitoring mechanism has been deadlocked in negotiations between the United States and Jordan for weeks and diplomats now describe the measure as "dead in the water."
Source: Agence France Presse
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