Liberman: Failed Palestinian gambit at UN shows that provocative, unilateral steps lead nowhere

Foreign minister, intelligence minister respond to draft Palestinian statehood resolution that failed to pass UN Security Council vote.

By HERB KEINON, JPOST.COM STAFF
Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman addresses the media in Jerusalem (photo credit: REUTERS)
Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman addresses the media in Jerusalem
(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Palestinian failure to get their statehood resolution passed Wednesday in the UN Security Council should teach them that provocations and attempts to unilaterally impose conditions on Israel will lead them nowhere, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said Wednesday.
The Palestinian resolution calling for a full Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 lines by 2017, and the establishment of a Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital, did not muster the necessary nine votes Tuesday in the Security Council.
“The Palestinian disregard for important counties in the international arena, first and foremost the US, stems from the backing they get form some of the states in Europe,” he said, in an obvious reference to the “for” votes cast by France and Luxembourg.
“Every state that truly wants to move an arrangement forward needs to act responsibly and make clear to the Palestinians that decisions are only made around the negotiating table,” he said.
While France and Luxembourg voted for the Palestinian resolution, two other EU countries – Britain and Lithuania – abstained, illustrating the wide differences on the Mideast that exist inside the 28-state EU.
Liberman praised his ministry for the work it did to thwart the resolution, the second time in three years that Israel dodged a bullet on this issue in the Security Council, and cited Israel's concentrated diplomatic efforts in Africa, the far East and central Europe. In 2011 the Palestinians failed in their attempt to win full UN statehood recognition in the UN.
In addition to the United States, Australia voted against the resolution on Tuesday. Britain, Lithuania, South Korea, and two of the three African states on the Security Council – Rwanda and Nigeria – all abstained, depriving the Palestinians of their nine votes needed to pass the resolution and force a US veto.
Meanwhile, Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz expressed his criticism of the draft Palestinian statehood bid, despite its failed to pass the Security Councilvote.
"The Palestinian failure to secure a vote in the UN Security Council does not mitigate the Palestinian Authorities hostile and unilateral political offensive against Israel," he charged a day after the vote.
Steinitz said it was "a worrying sign" that France and Britain - two of Israel's allies - supported the resolution or abstained from the vote on it.
Former Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Oren also came out against the Palestinian move, saying its unilateral attempt push a statehood motion through an international body proved that the PA did not seek to negotiate peace with Israel.
"The Palestinian leadership proved once again that its not interested in peace with its attempt to force a state on us, via the UN," said Oren, who is planning to run in the March elections on the new Kulalu party ballot.