BICOM

Further evidence is emerging of growing opposition among senior Palestinian officials to the plan to seek recognition in the UN General Assembly for a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood. A motion in this regard is expected to be put before the General Assembly in September. But according to reports in a number of Israeli newspapers, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is described by senior Palestinian officials as seeking a way to ‘climb down the tree’ from this strategy, in favour of a return to negotiations with Israel. Hani Masri, an analyst reported to be close to the PA President’s inner circle, said that Abbas would go to the UN in September, because having advertised his intentions so publicly, it would now be impossible for him not to do so. However, Masri added that if a chance opened up for renewed negotiations, Abbas would favour this option. US opposition to the Palestinian strategy of unilateralism is likely to be a major factor informing the growing Palestinian scepticism towards this path. The US is the largest donor and has been supporting state-building efforts by PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, including the training of the PNA security forces, which have been key in stabilising the West Bank.