BICOM

Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas is expected to meet in Cairo today with the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, and the foreign ministers of the Arab League Monitoring Committee.

During the meetings, Haaretz reports, a diplomatic package deal is being worked out that will enable the 27 member states of the EU to vote as a bloc in favour of upgrading the PA’s status to that of a non-permanent member of the UN. According to European diplomatic sources speaking to Haaretz, the package currently being worked out will include Palestinian representation at the UN upgrading to that of a permanent observer, on par with the Vatican; a clause stating that the vote does not require that each country recognise the Palestinian state on a bilateral level; a Palestinian commitment to resuming negotiations with Israel immediately following the vote at the UN, without preconditions; and that the wording of the Palestinian resolution include elements of US President Barack Obama’s 19 May Speech.

The US is also alleged to support the package if PA President Abbas also agrees not to take Israel to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, once a permanent observer. In return for tacit US agreement for the package, Haaretz reports, that Washington would abstain in the UN vote and maintain its financial aid to Palestinian institutions.  

Ashton and the five large EU countries are keen to avoid an internal European division over the vote. 
A senior German diplomat did not deny the developments in the Haaretz report, and said that his country is interested in a “package deal” with the Palestinians on a balanced resolution.