RAMALLAH, West Bank – faced with opposition from the United States, a number of top officials quietly advise Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to drop plans to seek recognition for a State of Palestine in the UN this fall.
Top officials say Abbas remains committed to his plan — a result of the widespread opinion among Palestinians, two decades-and turn on-off negotiations with Israel have run their course, and that the current isrælske leadership is not a partner for peace.
Officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to the Associated Press Thursday, said Abbas would like to "climbing from the tree" and find a mutually acceptable formula for restarting the negotiations, preferably based on the ideas presented by President Barack Obama recently.
At the same time, there is a widespread feeling that Abbas has announced his intentions so eye-catching, has left itself with little room to maneuver and can continue with the UN gambit just to avoid loss of credibility.
"We are caught by September," said an official. "We do not know what to do after that."
Concerns reflects a growing recognition of the fact that the project is problematic and the promise of a messy and unclear result which could change a little on the ground — and can backfire politically or even trigger new violence if Palestinians emerge disappointed at the outcome.
That was underscored this week when U.S. officials told a visiting Palestinian delegation to seek UN recognition, in the absence of a peace agreement was a "nonstarter" — in the latest indication that the United States would veto a Security Council decision.
"There is no clear Palestinian options," said Hani Masri, analyst, which is in close contact with Abbas ' inner circle. "Abbas go definitely to the UNITED NATIONS to maintain its credibility. But if there are other chance to come back to negotiations, he will do it ".
The Security Council, the UN's most powerful body, is charged with recommending membership for new Member States in the world body — a necessary step in the process. United States, has as one of five permanent members veto power over Council decisions.
The Palestinians has been to examine alternatives, such as asking the general Assembly, where they enjoy widespread support, on the recognition of a different kind.
The Assembly's decisions are not legally binding, and it has become increasingly clear that the approval would be a little more than a symbolic victory. Late last month said the Assembly's President, Swiss politician, Joseph Deiss, there is no way a Palestinian State could join the UNITED NATIONS without a recommendation from the Security Council.
The Palestinian officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, when they discussed the sensitive negotiations, said a number of top advisers now have second thoughts on the strategy for the United Nations.
They said that among them Yasser Abed Rabbo, the No. 2 official after Abbas of the Palestinian Liberation Organization; Abbas ' Chief negotiator, Saeb fine; and Nasser al-Qidwa, a former Palestinian Envoy to the United Nations and Chief Abbas perfume business.
All three declined comment.
Earlier this week, al-Qidwa recognised borders Abbas ' strategy in a closed collection of prominent Palestinian intellectual.
Al-Qidwa said the Palestinians must continue to try to rally support for their cause in the UNITED NATIONS ", but we should distinguish between download support and obtain recognition. We can not have recognition simply because the United States will veto it, "he said, according to a transcript obtained by The Associated Press.
Setting the UNITED NATIONS is a centerpiece Abbas ' foreign policy since a short-lived round of peace talks collapsed in september last year after the expiry of a isrælsk slowdown in settlement construction.
The Palestinians have demanded a renewed settlement construction freeze in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem. The Palestinians claim both territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. Israel counters that the Palestinians have never laid down such a condition before and the issue of settlements should be discussed in the negotiations.
The Palestinians want the UN to approve an independent State within the pre-1967 lines.
Such a vote would have little immediate effect on the Earth, believe the Palestinians will send a strong message to Israel to withdraw. Isræls prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, rejects a return to the lines before 1967.
Both Obama and France have recently offered similar formulas to restart negotiations, suggesting that the future borders will be based on pre-1967 lines with mutually agreed changes.
The Palestinians have embraced both proposals. Masri, analyst, said he believes they are even prepared to drop their long-standing demand for a full settlement freeze in exchange for the Obama formula. Israel, however, have reacted coolly.
Top Palestinian and isrælske dealers were in Washington this week meeting separately with U.S. officials in search of ways to resume negotiations. There was no word of a breakthrough.
Palestinian foreign minister Riad Malki, Abbas ' point man on the UNITED NATIONS preparations, said the Palestinians "is determined" seeking UN membership in September "unless the negotiations be resumed based on Obama parameters."
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