'Sha'ath: We will go to UN despite US veto intention'

PA official tells 'Al-Hayat' Palestinians weighing other options at UN if statehood plan fails, says "we don't want Israel preparing fight against us."

By JPOST.COM STAFF
nabil shaath 311 (photo credit: BLOOMBERG)
nabil shaath 311
(photo credit: BLOOMBERG)
Senior Fatah official Nabil Sha'ath on Saturday told London-based Al-Hayat that the Palestinians are "determined to turn to the UN to demand recognition of a Palestinian state," despite US announcements that it intends to veto the move in the United Nations Security Council.
In remarks published by Al-Hayat, Sha'ath also said the Palestinians are considering resorting to other steps at the UN "if the US thwarts the proposed resolution," however he declined to reveal what the steps will include.
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He explained that "We have many options we can take, but we will not disclose them now. We do not want to give the Israelis the possibility to prepare for a fight against us at the United Nations."
Sha'ath took the establishment of the State of Israel and Kosovo as precedent for Palestinian statehood, saying, "Israel declared its independence unilaterally, and then the UN recognized it. Kosovo also did this, despite Serbia's opposition."
Meanwhile, in an effort to convince the Palestinians not to seek a unilateral declaration of statehood at the UN, a senior US official held a conference with Jewish leaders on Friday in hopes that Israel will decide to accept a new US framework for peace talks.
Steve Simon, senior National Security Council advisor on the Middle East, told Jewish leaders that the Palestinians had indicated that they would move forward with talks on the basis of US President Barack Obama’s plan if Israel agreed to as well and that the US was now waiting for Israel’s answer, according to participants on the off-the-record call.
They said Simon also noted that the US was reasonably confident the Palestinians would abandon their effort to go to the UN in the case of such a scenario.


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