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Wed, March 02, 2011 | The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center

Demonstrators in Ramallah (Wafa News Agency, February 24, 2011)

PA planning to appeal to UN and ICC as part of the “political and diplomatic war” against Israel

On February 18 the UN Security Council debated a Palestinian resolution calling for the condemnation of the Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria. The United States vetoed the resolution; the other Security Council members voted in favor (Ma’an News Agency, February 17, 2011). In the wake of the American veto the Palestinian Authority reported it would explore other channels, including an appeal to the UN General Assembly:

— Nabil Shaath, member of Fatah’s central committee, said that the move could be considered a Palestinian success, because despite the American veto, the 14 other members of the Security Council voted in favor. He expressed hope that the position of those countries would remain firm and that they would act to pass the “assertive resolution” of the International Quartet regarding the settlements. He said that the Palestinians were planning to appeal to the UN General Assembly and the International Criminal Court (ICC) as part of the “political and diplomatic war” the Palestinians were waging against Israel to bring international pressure to bear (FTV, February 26, 2011).

— Riyadh al-Maliki, the foreign minister of the outgoing Palestinian government, said that the Palestinian Authority intended to appeal to the General Assembly to have it recognize the Palestinian state. The Palestinians would, he said, also appeal to the International Criminal Court to complain about the so-called “crimes” he claimed were committed by Israel (Al-Hayat Al-Jadeeda, February 25, 2011).

— Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the PLO’s executive committee, said that the Palestinian Authority would work to convene an international conference which would reach decisions about ending the so-called “Israeli occupation” and determine a timetable to implement them (Al-Hayat Al-Jadeeda, February 25, 2011).

On February 24 demonstrations were held in Ramallah, Nablus and other cities in Judea and Samaria to denounce the American veto. The demonstrators called for the end of the schism between Fatah and Hamas (Ma’an News Agency, Wafa News Agency and Hamas’ Palestine-info website, February 24, 2011).