Israeli prime minister says Palestinian statehood bid will fail
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 18 September 2011 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Israeli prime minister says Palestinian statehood bid will fail, 18 September 2011, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4e8973e728.html [accessed 22 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
September 18, 2011
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he believes Palestinian officials will fail in their bid for the United Nations to recognize a Palestinian state.
Netanyahu, speaking at a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem ahead of the Palestinians' UN bid, expressed confidence that a Security Council vote on statehood would not succeed, and that even a General Assembly resolution on granting Palestine the status of a nonmember "state" – rather than a nonmember "entity" – would be largely ineffectual.
"Now there is also a UN parliament. This parliament is called the General Assembly, and there you can pass almost any resolution," Netanyahu said. "You can decide there that the sun rises in the west and sets in the east."
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas says he plans to demand full membership of the United Nations when he goes before the General Assembly next week.
Palestinians are asking the UN to recognize their independence in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, which were seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. Netanyahu said today that Israel's rights to that land "go back 4,000 years."
The United States has indicated it will veto any statehood vote brought before the Security Council. But a number of countries have backed the Palestinian statehood bid, including the Arab League States, Norway, and Security Council member Russia.
The issue is likely to stoke fresh tensions between Israeli and Palestinian officials. The Quartet of Middle East negotiators is scheduled to meet later today in an attempt to relaunch Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
compiled from agency reports
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
