Palestinian seeking path to circumvent US veto at UNSC
The Palestinians are taking annexation very seriously even though Israel has yet to take any steps toward it and speculation is high that the plan might be put on hold.
By TOVAH LAZAROFFMembers of the United Nations Security Council observe a moment of silence at the beginning of a meeting about Afghanistan at United Nations Headquarters in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., March 10, 2020(photo credit: REUTERS/CARLO ALLEGRI)
The Palestinians are seeking a path to circumvent the United States veto at the UN Security Council (UNSC), so that they are better armed diplomatically to block Israel from annexing portions of the West Bank.“We have to double our efforts to continue pressuring against [Israeli] annexation, PLO Ambassador Riyad Mansour said during a virtual meeting of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People on Tuesday.The Palestinians are taking annexation very seriously even though Israel has yet to take any steps toward it and speculation is high that the plan might be put on hold.“We should not be complacent that [Israel] did not announce the beginning of the practical steps of annexation,” Mansour said.Conversions were ongoing with UN offices of the Secretary General and the General Assembly on the issue of resolutions to block annexation, Mansour said.. Palestinian officials have also met with UN Security Council members, he added.“We are having a meeting with the [UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres] on Thursday,” Mansour said.At present, five UNSC members have the ability to veto UNSC resolutions, including the US. The US has used that power to block resolutions against Israel and Palestinian attempts to secure UN membership, for which UNSC approval is needed.It was important Mansour said, that a circumvention method is found so that the Palestinians were “not hostage to one country or two, that if they dislike certain things have the veto power to block the position of the majority of countries.”A solution must be found to the situation where the UN is “hijacked by a very small minority that has very rigid and extreme positions vis a vis our resolutions to dictate the conduct of the UN,” he said.Monsour highlighted for the committee next week’s monthly UNSC meeting on the Middle East was an “important effort” to push forward the collective effort to block Israeli’s annexation plans.“This will be another important moment where we have to keep pushing this collective effort, by not relenting, but pushing forward and increasing the pressure on the government of the occupying power of Israel, to abandon completely the annexation plans.”The Palestinians are also looking for creative venues to include European parliamentarians and members of the UN Congress in the battle against annexation, Mansour said.There must also be engagement with US civil organizations, such as Black Lives Matter, which is similar to Palestinian lives matter, Mansour said.Annexation is the “biggest threats” against the two-state solution as well as against peace between Israelis and Palestinians and peace in the Middle East as a whole, he said.On Tuesday Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas spoke by telephone with British Prime Minister Borris Johnson, whose country holds one of the 15 UNSC seats.According to Downing Street, Johnson “reiterated the UK’s commitment to the two state solution and our opposition to annexation proposals in the West Bank”Johnson’s office added, “The Prime Minister urged President Abbas to engage in negotiations and offered the UK’s support to foster dialogue.”
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