BICOM

There is still great uncertainty ahead of the Palestinian UN bid next week. Last minute talks between Palestinian, US and EU officials are currently underway, in an effort to broker a compromise deal. US envoys Dennis Ross and David Hale, European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton and Quartet Middle East Envoy Tony Blair are involved in the efforts to reach a solution. The details of the proposed compromise are not clear, but an un-named ‘political source’ quoted by Ynetnews said that under its terms, the Palestinian status at the UN would be raised, but the Palestinians would not be able to join the International Criminal Court (ICC). The possibility of Palestinian ICC membership is of particular concern to Israel, because it would enable the PA to file lawsuits against current and former IDF personnel and Israeli officials, or on such matters as settlements construction. However, yesterday Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riad Malki said that the Palestinians would submit a bid for full membership of the United Nations as a sovereign state to the UN Security Council on 23 September.

Meanwhile, US officials and Blair have been pressing Ashton not to promote a French-Spanish initiative, according to which the General Assembly would recognise a Palestinian state that would not be a UN full member, but would hold a similar status to the Vatican. In exchange, the PA would not ask the Security Council to grant it full UN membership or file charges against Israelis in the ICC. Haaretz reports Ashton is now, however, promoting a position according to which the PA would be upgraded to a wholly new legal status, less than that of a state, which would not give the PA the standing needed to take Israel to the ICC. The report also contends that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to this proposal and the upgrading of the PA’s status at the UN, as long as it is not declared a state.

Netanyahu, meanwhile, has announced that he is to travel to New York next week to address the UN General Assembly ahead of the Palestinian bid for approval of a unilateral declaration of statehood. Netanyahu will address the UNGA next Friday. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will address the same body a few hours earlier.