Netanyahu: Israel will agree to upgrade of Palestinian status, not statehood

[bemildred]

Israel would agree to upgrade the Palestinian Authority's status at the United Nations as long as it is not declared a state, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in talks with Catherine Ashton, the European Union's foreign policy chief, over the past few days.

On Thursday Netanyahu decided to address the UN General Assembly next Friday, the day the Palestinians will submit their statehood bid.

---

Netanyahu continued his talks with U.S. envoys Dennis Ross and David Hale on Thursday, as well as Ashton and Quartet envoy Tony Blair, in an attempt to reach a compromise that would prevent an Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the UN. But no breakthrough was made, and the PA's appeal to the United Nations next week is regarded as inevitable.

Netanyahu told his interlocutors that granting the PA the status of a state would allow the Palestinians to go to the International Criminal Court in The Hague over issues like settlement construction. "But as long as it is less than a state, I'm ready to talk about it," a source familiar with the conversation quoted him as saying.

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/netanyahu-israel-will-agree-to-upgrade-of-palestinian-status-not-statehood-1.384716

[socialshockwave]

1. It's better then nothing. n/t

[marmar]

4. It IS nothing.

[classysassy]

20. Better than nothing

If I move in to your home and take over but promise to let you live in the basement will you accept those terms?Well the basement is better than nothing.

[PDJane]

2. No. Just No.

It's long past time for Israel to remove itself from Palestinian land and quit stealing resources.

[socialshockwave]

3. Israel should exist.

The viciousness the Palestinians perpetrate against them; calling for a "Jew Free" state and advocating near-genocide of anyone Israeli is just sickening and wrong. It's no wonder Israel's so aggressive.

Israel is surrounded by rabid wolves in the Arab States - if they blink, it'll be another Six Day War where all the Muslim countries try to get rid of their "Jew problem".

[marmar]

6. Nobody is saying Israel shouldn't exist......so should Palestine.

And I'm sorry, but your description of events is extremely one-sided and biased.

[EFerrari]

8. If they're not careful, the Palestinians will pen them up in open air prisons.

:sarcasm:

[bemildred]

9. Don't forget the sarcasm smiley.

We really need an irony smiiley.

[socialshockwave]

10. The constant Hamas attacks on Israeli citizens

has to stop before there can be any kind of talks put forth.

[bemildred]

11. Hi there. Welcome to DU. nt

[socialshockwave]

12. ? I've been here for almost a year. n/t

[bemildred]

13. Ah, not a frequent poster.

My error.

[socialshockwave]

14. I've been too busy with college to post a lot.

But don't get me wrong - I believe in a two-state solution; a sovereign Israel and a Palestinian state. But I think that the Palestinians and Israelis both need to take steps - Israel needs to stop demolishing homes and Hamas should stop their rocket attacks on Israeli citizens.

[bemildred]

15. True, there are often better things to do. nt

[EFerrari]

16. Okay.

[classysassy]

19. Vicious

Oh yeah,they want their land back,they want those peace loving Israeli to stop killing their old men women and children.They the Israelis will continue their onslaught against the Palestinian people as long as they get support from America,we have been on the wrong side of justice so long we think the Israeli are righteous in their brutal treatment of the Palestinians.

[Jefferson23]

5. My my my, look at that. n/t

[bemildred]

7. Quite a long piece, quite a lot in it.

Just saying.

[provis99]

17. I never know if Netanyahu is just a complete ass,

or he's merely kowtowing to his base, who are complete asses.

[classysassy]

21. Netanyahu is a war criminal

but with America's support he is untouchable,the Bush of the middle east.

[shaayecanaan]

18. Not a chance...

he's offering them less than what they'll get anyway if they take it to the UNGA. Abbas will look like a goose if he accepts this.

[Scurrilous]

22. Abbas Says He Will Seek Palestinian State at the Security Council

<snip>

"The Palestinian president announced Friday that he would seek recognition of a Palestinian state at the Security Council at the United Nations next week, a move strongly opposed by Israel and the United States and adding significant tension to one of the most intractable conflicts in the Middle East.

The announcement by the president, Mahmoud Abbas, in a televised speech delivered at his headquarters in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, was the first time he has formally committed to such a strategy, which Palestinian officials have been moving toward for months as their frustration over stalled peace talks with Israel has intensified. American, Israeli and European diplomats have struggled to dissuade Mr. Abbas and his aides from taking such a step.

“We need to have full membership at the U.N.,” Mr. Abbas said in the speech, which was broadcast live on Al Jazeera and other outlets. “We need a state, a seat at the United Nations and nothing more.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/17/world/middleeast/Abbas-Security-Council-United-Nations-Vote.html