Israel pressures UN over Palestinian status report: diplomat
February 21, 2013 - 12:00am
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-02/21/c_132183881.htm
Israel puts pressure on the United Nations to prevent any criticism of Israeli policies by the UN chief's upcoming report on upgrading the Palestinian status, a Palestinian diplomat said Thursday.
The report by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon aims at putting into effect the UN General Assembly's November resolution which recognized the Palestinian state as a non-member state despite Israeli and U.S. opposition.
"The Israeli pressures on Mr. Ban and the UN did not stop," said Ibrahim Khraishe, the Palestinian representative to the UN in Geneva. "These pressures are derived from unlimited American support to Israel," he said.
He pointed out that Israel's pressures "will not lead to peace and stability in the region," stressing that the recognition of the Palestinian state will make peace and security in the area.
Israel and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) await the report, which should be issued around the end of February.
Israeli newspaper Maariv reported Thursday that Israel was extremely worried about the report, especially about its wording and terminology.
It said Israel is worried that the report may attack the settlement activities in the West Bank and the development projects in E1, which would effectively separate Jerusalem from the West Bank.
Meanwhile, Israel is also concerned that the Palestinians will join other UN organizations, including the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians stopped in 2010 due to Israel's continued settlement building in territories it occupied in 1967.
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