UN bid becomes unifying force

London: Efforts to persuade the Palestinians to change tack ahead of next week's UN meeting on the creation of a state of Palestine accelerated this week with a series of high-level delegations sweeping through occupied Jerusalem and Ramallah aiming to avert a diplomatic collision in New York.

The Palestinians insist their approach to the UN does not preclude a return to negotiations later. "We see no contradictions between doing both", said Mohammed Shtayyer, a senior member of the team heading to New York. The UN bid was "the beginning of the game, not the end. It is a process", he said.

In public, Palestinian officials are standing firm in the face of "very serious pressure" to backtrack. Privately, there are suggestions of wavering. However, the International Crisis Group warned this week that any climbdown now "could decisively discredit [Mahmoud Abbas'] leadership, embolden his foes and trigger unrest among his people".

It went on: "Most Palestinians do not strongly support the UN bid; but they would strongly oppose a decision to retract it without suitable compensation."

Israel has engaged in its own diplomatic offensive to try to derail the Palestinian bid, instructing its diplomats around the globe to campaign vigorously for votes and lavishly hosting delegations from undeclared countries.

But Ron Prosor, Israel's ambassador to the UN, acknowledged that the "battle to stem the tide" was lost and warned that "this unilateral course of action won't lead to peace and won't lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state".

The Palestinians reject the claim that they are acting unilaterally, saying the UN path "is the ultimate expression of multilateralism". They add that Israel's apparent opposition to unilateralism has not stopped it acting without agreement, such as building and expanding colonies.

Sallai Meridor, a former Israeli ambassador to the US, said the move "weakens the chances for negotiation and agreement and increases the chances of frustration and violence. For Israelis it will strengthen the voices saying there is no one to talk to. Once you act unilaterally, the chances for negotiations are much lower."

Israel is also alarmed at the prospect that the Palestinians could bring a case against it at the international criminal court, a possibility that would open up with enhanced UN status for the Palestinians.

"No Israeli government could negotiate if it has criminal proceedings hanging over its head," said a former official.

Retaliatory options raised by Israeli ministers should the Palestinian bid succeed include tearing up the Oslo accords, under which the Palestinian National Authority was given control of parts of the West Bank and Gaza, annexing the West Bank settlements and withholding tax revenues that Israel collects on behalf of the PNA.

— Guardian News & Media Ltd.