There is an active movement from Arab countries to support the Palestinian cause through an action plan that they will propose to the UN Security Council to end the Israeli occupation, said the UAE’s Al Bayan.
“This move by the Arab countries aims to ensure the protection of the Palestinian people and land, contain Israeli’s policy of occupation, hold it accountable for its crimes and isolate it in the international community. The time has also come for local Palestinian movements to reach a true Palestinian reconciliation. After all, resorting to the internationalisation of the Palestinian issue must be a part of the new national strategy that prioritises ending internal divisions and unifying the Palestinians’ national ranks so they can face up to the occupation forces’ practices and arrogance.”
The timing of the Arab foreign ministers’ meeting in Cairo reveals that Arabs have made up their mind to move forward and rally international support for the establishment and recognition of a Palestinian state, said Qatar’s Al Sharq. “The move aims to seek the necessary backing for a draft Arab resolution that will be submitted to the UN Security Council, particularly after countries in the West began announcing their recognition of the state of Palestine. The Arab decision to head to the UN Security Council, so that it issues a resolution that establishes a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital within a specific timeframe, is a move that reshapes the political landscape. This also opens the door for resolving the Arab nation’s central issue, which has been festering for a very long time. Palestinians must now work on strengthening their internal front and unifying their ranks.”
Commenting on the issue, Palestine’s Al Quds asked if the Arab League had prepared an alternative in case the US or some countries impeded their latest effort. “Are the Arab countries ready to use pressure cards on Israel and the US, such economic pressure tactics or freezing work on the Egyptian-Israeli and Jordanian-Israeli peace treaties? Such pressure must be applied if Israel continues its policy of aggression towards the Palestinians. Moreover, the basis of this issue is in drawing up a clear approach for the Palestinians to embrace as per a strategy that is agreed upon by all groups and parties and supported by the Palestinian people. This is the only way for Palestinians to regain their independence and freedom.”
The Arab action plan came in the wake of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s move to enact a legislation describing Israel as a Jewish state and a homeland for Jewish people everywhere. The Jordan Times said that taking this step would expose Israel, which takes pride in calling itself the only democracy in the Middle East. “Netanyahu cannot reconcile such a racist, callous measure with international human rights conventions that reject discrimination among citizens. Both friends and allies of Israel must call on it to drop this bill. Once the Palestinians have an independent state on Palestinian soil, Israel can call itself whatever it wants. For now, if Netanyahu persists in this decision, the Palestinians should take the issue to the International Court of Justice for a judgement on its legality,” the newspaper said.
