President Obama spoke to the 66th UN General Assembly this morning, explaining the unpopular position the US is taking in opposition to the Palestinian bid for UN membership. Given the lackluster response, it does not seem as if he changed any minds, nor did he break any new ground, or offer any hope for any breakthrough soon. Obama then met with Prime Minister Netanyahu who thanked him and the US for our support.
From what I can gather from these articles in the New York Times, Washington Post, The Guardian, and the CNN reports, Palestinian President Mohmoud Abbas, plans to submit his letter requesting admission the UN Friday, however, he will not press a timetable, giving time for more diplomacy to allow the US to avoid having to veto Palestine's application which the the overwhelming majority of the world approves of. The hope is that if the UN General Assembly grants Palestine the status of non-voting observer, Abbas may allow the issue to drop in the UN Security Council.
Helen Cooper, of the NYT writes Obama, at U.N., Explains Rationale for Opposing Palestinian Statehood Bid
Barack Obama speaks at the 66th UN General Assembly (Photo: AFP/Getty)
UNITED NATIONS — President Obama declared his opposition to the Palestinian Authority’s bid for statehood through the Security Council on Wednesday, throwing the weight of the United States directly in the path of the Arab democracy movement even as he hailed what he called the democratic aspirations that have taken hold throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
“Peace will not come through statements and resolutions at the U.N.,” Mr. Obama said, in an address before world leaders at the General Assembly. “If it were that easy, it would have been accomplished by now.”
Instead, Mr. Obama said, the international community should continue to push Israelis and Palestinians toward talks on the four intractable “final status” issues that have vexed peace negotiations since 1979: the borders of a Palestinian state, security for Israel, the status of Palestinian refugees who left or were forced to leave their homes in Israel, and the fate of Jerusalem, which both sides claim for their capital.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy took the same podium an hour later to speak strongly in favor of the UN General Assembly vote granting Palestine observer status.
Scott Wilson and William Branigin, of the Washington Post reports, Obama tells U.N. he sees ‘no shortcut’ to Israeli-Palestinian peace
Abbas appears determined to submit the Palestinian membership application to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday. But diplomats note that ensuing diplomatic maneuvering within the Security Council could delay a vote on the proposal for days, weeks or longer.
Meanwhile, at the General Assembly, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said leaders have “a moral and political obligation” to help resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He devoted his entire address to the issue, saying that “60 years without moving one inch forward — doesn’t it seem like time to do something new?”
Sarkozy warned that a Security Council rejection of a Palestinian state could provoke violence in the Middle East. Instead, he said, the General Assembly should grant “observer status” to the Palestinians, a step that a majority of the body appears to support, and set a one-year timeline for negotiations to achieve a peace agreement.
Obama has not endorsed that “intermediate step,” as Sarkozy characterized it. Obama is scheduled to meet both Sarkozy and Abbas later on Wednesday.
Chris McGreal, of The Guardian, reports Obama arrives at UN as pressure grows on Palestinians over statehood bid
Abbas said "all hell has broken out against us" over the bid for statehood but he told the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, that he would not be diverted from his plan to make the request to the security council on Friday.
The Middle East quartet of the EU, UN, US and Russia were to meet on Monday evening in an attempt to construct a formula to restart peace talks and stave off a showdown in the security council. Diplomats say the key is to make the proposal strong enough, in part by stating clearly that negotiations will be on the basis of 1967 borders with some swaps of territories, so that Abbas can claim a significant step toward ending the occupation. But the Palestinians remain deeply sceptical after 20 years of negotiations failing to win their independence.
The French foreign minister, Alain Juppe (said) ... "the "relaunch of the peace process is needed" and that the international community has "three or four days" to find a solution.
But Juppe also warned that the status quo of the Israeli occupation is "neither acceptable nor tenable", and that lack of progress toward a solution will lead to another "explosion of violence". ...
"I defy anyone to predict how this is going to turn out by the end of the week."
So it appears the key goal of the US is to avoid having to veto the Palestinian membership bid. Abbas can gain credit in the Arab world for submitting it, but then it is put on hold, as another round of face to face negotiations begins, with the idea that it could be brought forward if those negotiations stall.
But, we shall see.
12:54 PM PT: The Jerusalem Post also reports the current tacit agreement is to delay consideration of the Palestinian request in the UNSC, but that Abbas is angry about it.
http://www.jpost.com/...