September declaration of the Palestinian State: Is it possible?

By ZIAD ABU ZAYYAD
The Palestinian determination to go to the UN Council for recognition of the Palestinian state increases everyday. Reports about secret channels of negotiations were denied by the Palestinian official Sa’ab Erekat who confirmed that without a complete freeze of the settlements building, no progress can be achieved in the peace process.
The Palestinians are determined to approach the UN for statehood for two reasons: they do not believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu is interested in reaching a diplomatic breakthrough and they are aware of the broad media resonance of the decision to turn to the UN.
President Obama’s last speech that assured the security of Israel and gave support for Netanyahu’s vision of how “Peace” would be achieved also created a greater pressure on the PA leadership to either surrender to what Israel is demanding or to decide to go the UN and try a new way.
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s vision that denies the right of the Palestinians in East Jerusalem, refuses the idea of withdrawing from the 1967 occupied lands, interferes in Palestinian Internal affairs and insists on keeping major settlements in the West Bank does not leave room for discussion in anything that would be called a peace process or in negotiations. Furthermore most of the issues that the Israeli Arab conflict is built upon are off the table for discussion in the eyes of the current Israeli leadership; the justification of the current situation is also against International Law and former UN resolutions regarding the conflict.
It is true that the possible September declaration of the Palestinian state would not bring the Palestinians a state on the ground but at least it will change the current situation by bringing International Law and the role of the International community into the picture.
There are facts that no one can ignore, and one of these facts is that there is a Palestinian people, there is a Palestinian identity and there are Palestinian occupied lands that Israel must withdraw from. These facts are recognized by history, International law and the reality that we live everyday.
The PA has no choice except for going to the UN in September, since any other decision that will waste more time would create a reaction from the Palestinian people that want to end the last occupation in the world. There are no real signals that the current Israeli government is ready to compromise anything for the sake of the peace process but instead it is doing its best to direct the conflict and gain more time without giving anything.
The question which the Israeli government will have to answer is: what will it do when the peace process is lost for ever and a new reality is born; a reality that will include a development in the area with a high price?