Middle east

Palestinians to ask UN to recognise independent state

Article published on the 2009-11-15 Latest update 2009-11-16 17:11 TU

A Palestinian demostrator during a protest against the Israeli barrier in the village of Deir el-Ghusun near the West Bank town of Tulkarm on 14 November.
(Photo: Reuters)

The Palestinians intend to ask the UN Security Council for recognition of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as the capital. But the Israelis have warned against unilateral steps and said only direct negotiations would yield results.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told the AFP news agency on Sunday that Palestinians would “go to the UN Security Council to ask for recognition of an independent Palestinian state”.

He added that they would define Jerusalem as the capital and use borders from June 1967. They would try and seek support from EU countries and Russia.

“Saeb Erakat is a professor of political science," says correspondent Mark Lavie. "He understands these things and so the bottom line is – yes – it is probably another Palestinian pressure tactic.”

It is the latest development amid increasing frustration with the stalled Middle East peace process.

But Israeli ministers have said it will not yield results and only direct negotiations would work.

“Unilateral steps will not lead to results we are hoping to achieve,” said Vice Prime Minister Silvan Shalom.

Meanwhile, National Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau claimed that if the Palestinians did take unilateral steps, Israel would use its army to retake Palestinian areas in the West Bank.

"Yasser Arafat had the option on May 1^st 1999 of declaring an independent Palestinian state right then and there," Lavie told RFI.

"But if the Palestinians do it, its whole a new ball game, world nations would race to recognise a Palestinian state. The United States would find itself in a very small minority of nations."

The Israeli press reported on Sunday that French President Nicolas Sarkozy had offered to hold peace talks in Paris last week.

During Sarkozy’s meetings with leaders from the Middle East it is thought the French President offered to hold discussions between Israeli, Palestinian and Syrian politicians to try and help move negotiations forward.