Intense talks ongoing over Palestinian statehood application

Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seen on a screen as he gives a speech to the Arab league members during an Arab league meeting in its headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, Sept. 13, 2011.

/ AP Photo/Khalil Hamra

One week before Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says he will submit a statehood application to the U.N. Secretary General, intense negotiations are taking place in Cairo, Brussels, Washington and New York.

Speaking to the Arab League Tuesday, Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan bolstered his position of leadership in the Arab world, and highlighted his country's rift with Israel, saying, "The recognition of a Palestinian state is the only right way. It's not an option, but an obligation. God willing, by the end of this month, we will have the opportunity to see Palestine in a very different status at the United Nations."

Abbas set the date for the commencement of the Palestinian Authority's statehood bid for September 20, the day before President Obama addresses the U.N. General Assembly. He is then expected to outline the Palestinian position when he speaks to the General Assembly on September 23. But the timing of a vote -- and whether or not Abbas will attempt to bring the vote to the Security Council, where the Obama Administration has vowed to veto a Resolution, or direct to the General Assembly -- is not clear.

Palestinian statehood vote at U.N.: Full steam ahead

Israel's U.N. Ambassador Ron Prosor told CBS News that Israel is still hopeful that there will be a diplomatic solution and the vote averted, "We have to sit down with the Palestinian authority in direct negotiations in order to bridge the problems. There is no other way around that." Prosor said, "We are trying to get to direct negotiations - up to the last moment."

Video: Interview with Israel's U.N. ambassador

In Cairo, at an Arab League meeting, Catherine Ashton, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said that there is no united position on the Palestinian statehood bid, "There is no resolution on the table yet, so there is no position."

After meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Amr, she said, "What is clear from the European Union is that the way forward is negotiations," but Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi said in a press conference after the meeting that "consultations and communications will continue in order to reach the goal" of Palestinian membership at the U.N.

Some have forecast dire consequences if the showdown reaches the U.N. A New York Times editorial this week said, "A United Nations vote on Palestinian membership would be ruinous. Yet with little time left before the U.N. General Assembly meets, the United States, Israel and Europe have shown insufficient urgency or boldness in trying to find a compromise solution. The need for action is even more acute after alarming tensions flared in recent days between Israel and two critical regional players -- Egypt and Turkey."

Palestinian statehood question to be center stage at U.N. in Sept.?Supporters of Palestinian state could circumvent U.S. veto at United Nations

At the U.N., Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin confirmed that Moscow would back the Palestinian bid, "We will vote in favor of the Palestinian U.N. bid, but I must say that we will not push Palestinians to move in that direction."

In Washington, U.S. State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland made the president's position clear.

"Our view remains that neither course - neither the Security Council nor the General Assembly - is going to lead to the result that they seek, which is to have a stable, secure state living in peace; that they have to do this through negotiations; and that that's the fastest and best course to do so."

Nuland said that the Obama administration is speaking with Israelis and Palestinians to get them back to negotiations before the U.N. General Assembly.

Prosor, meanwhile, doubted that the Palestinian bid represented all Palestinians, "Abbas is coming to the United Nations and declaring unilateral statehood about what? Is it Abbas or is it Hamas? It's the only guy I know who is the President of an Authority who has zero authority about what is going on in Gaza."

[markag55]

As a Jew who has lived in Israel, I've never been against a Palestinian state. However, as a sovereign country, they must set aside their guns and grenades and actually start BUILDING a country!

One condition of Palestinian Statehood MUST be that every country who votes for it, must also recognize the sovereignty of the State of Israel and establish diplomatic relations with the State of Israel.

Those countries, especially the other Arab countries, must promise to help the Palestinians out with money to build an infrastructure, both physically and institutionally, for government and finance.

Those countries need to make sure that jobs are created with that money, so that young men will have something to do other than hate Israel and blow themselves up.

Those countries need to make sure that they diplomatically work with Israel to arrive for secure borders for both countries (which will not come about easily or quickly).

Those countries need to put pressure on the Palestinians to take out the hate-filled language in student textbooks about Jews and Israel.

Palestine needs to make sure they have buy-in by their citizens to look inward towards building a country rather than outward to destroy another one; and to make sure that it is a democracy (which, so far, it seems to be--the people in the Gaza Strip voted for the hard-liners, and now they're paying for it).

Palestine needs to ask Israel's advice on how to make the desert green to grow crops and to create forests. The so-called "West Bank", especially in the northern part (where it is not desert) already has the potential to become a land filled with food crops to feed its people.

If all of the above conditions are met, then I believe Palestine should have sovereignty. Simply creating a Palestinian State unconditionally will lead to problems globally, not just in Israel and Palestine, not just in the Middle East or those countries with Muslim-majorities.

The Palestinians MUST accept peace with Israel before they can become a sovereign nation. Countries who do not have diplomatic relations with Israel MUST accept the inevitability of such if Palestine is to become a sovereign nation.

Peace. Shalom. Salam.

[woozybarnes]

I think this is one of the most well thought out postings I have read on the subject of a Palestinian state. I don't think there should be any further delay in creating it. It has been so frustrating watching Israel go on seemingly forever refusing to allow it. I have come to the conclusion that they will never actually allow this to happen and talks about negotiations are merely delaying tactics decade after decade. Both sides should follow the great points you have made in your posting. I hope the UN recognized the Palestinian state. Maybe that will finally get both sides moving.

[antoniof123]

What is there to discuss give it to them so they can go back to fighting and killing each other.

God this is not that hard.

[tsigili]

One has to ask......how can you grant statehood to a group of terrorists, who attack other countries, for sport?

[skunk_monkey]

Israel was born out of terrorism google: Lehi and Irgun

wasn't usa born from terror attacks and Guerrilla warfare, you have more in common with the Taliban and Palestinians than you think.

[mjlewis6]

The establishment of the State of Israel did not require years of stalled negotiations. And when done...the Arab nations around Israel attacked. With few execeptions, the Arab States have NEVER given up undermining the Israeli state, and likewise, Israel has NEVER given in to the right of return of the refugees and the children now grown, from that initial confrontation.

Palestine and Israel should have addressed these issues since before President Clinton, President Bush and now President Obama. Sorry, if it takes the UN to recognize a nation for Israel to finally accept what it has ignored for so long, so be it.

[southpaw99]

Its about time there is some progress on this issue.
126 countries agree, sounds like DEMOCRACY to me!