Netanyahu’s diplomatic failure: Israel dragged through UN like a sack through a market
I must say I love Haaretz’s way with headlines….
Israel dragged through UN like a sack through a market; no one at fault
Thursday’s UN vote was the international community’s warning light to Israel, as much as a show of support for the Palestinians.
By Barak Ravid | Nov.30, 2012 | 2:17 AM
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Thursday’s UN vote was the international community’s warning light to Israel, as much as a show of support for the Palestinians. Germany, France, Britain, Italy and other friendly countries delivered messages to Israel with their votes – their patience with the occupation of the West Bank has warn off, they have had enough of the construction in the settlements and there’s no trust in Israeli declarations of hands outstretched in peace and desire to advance toward a Palestinian state.
Israel’s collapse in the UN and humiliating diplomatic rout is the result of a consistent policy led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It began with his refusal to accept the two-state solution. His speech at Bar-Ilan University, to which he was dragged by American pressure, may have voiced his readiness for the establishment of a Palestinian state, but was never brought to the government for approval.
From then on Netanyahu ran away from any diplomatic initiative presented to him, refused to seriously debate the core issues of a permanent settlement, wasted time by raising excuses and preconditions, and avoided presenting the Palestinians and Western friends with an Israeli peace plan. Without a political initiative, Netanyahu was dragged - and with him the whole country - to the UN General Assembly vote like a sack through a market.
…snip…But Netanyahu’s diplomatic failure, as with all failures, will remain an orphan. The prime minister will not take responsibility, and neither will his foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, in his incitement campaign against Abbas, which only pushed more and more countries to support the Palestinian move in the UN.
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The resolution upgrading the Palestinians’ status to a nonmember observer state at the U.N. was approved by a vote of 138-9, with 41 abstentions, in the 193-member world body.
Congratulations to the Palestinian people on their historic and overwhelming UN recognition of their national aspirations. May it bring them peace and prosperity in the near future.
Frank says: