Palestinian leader in new U.N. bid to end occupation

Facing pressure at home to come up with a new strategy for achieving Palestinian statehood, Mahmoud Abbas said Friday he would ask the U.N. Security Council to dictate the ground rules for any talks with Israel, including setting a deadline for an Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian lands. In a speech to world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly, the Palestinian leader also accused Israel of conducting a “war of genocide” in Gaza, but stopped short of saying he would pursue war crimes charges against Israel. While the Palestinian president spoke forcefully, the address was short on specifics. He did not offer his own deadline for an Israeli withdrawal, as some had predicted, nor did he say anything about joining the International Criminal Court as his aides have repeatedly said he is prepared to do.

President Abbas’ speech today included offensive characterizations that were deeply disappointing and which we reject. Such provocative statements are counterproductive and undermine efforts to create a positive atmosphere and restore trust between the parties.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki

However, Abbas met with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday in New York and expressed little optimism his U.N. bid would survive a Security Council vote. The United States will almost certainly veto such a measure, having said the only resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is through direct negotiations between the two sides. Turning to the International Criminal Court would also be a major policy shift for Abbas. It would transform his relations with Israel from tense to openly hostile, and badly strain his relations with the United States.

It would not be useful for the United States to put itself in this embarrassing situation (of casting a veto) before the peoples of the world, especially now that the Arab states joined the United States in its battle against terrorism.

John Kerry on Tuesday in New York

Middle East