I cannot say I support the Friends of Israel Initiative since they do not explicitly rule out the creation of a Fakestinian state, however their positions are fairly above the average among foreign observers. I received from them the following clear summary of the latest developments toward a unilateral declaration of state by the Fakestinians. It is quite scary as the unilateral strategy of the Fakestinians seems effective :
"Things are moving, and fast, on the Palestinian side. While the Palestinian
Authority (PA) rejects a return to the negotiating table, it is launching a
renewed international offensive to garner support for the unilateral
declaration of independence of a "Palestinian State".
Palestinian moves in December have made the prospect of holding negotiations
become much dimmer, with an increasing trend towards a dangerous
unilateralism.
Take the following, for instance:
* Brazil recognised the "Palestinian State" on 4th December and was
immediately followed by Argentina, Uruguay and Bolivia. Palestinian lobbies
have been trying hard to convince other countries in Latin America to issue
similar statements of recognition, particularly Chile and Colombia.
* The PA also contacted 10 members of the EU prior to the Foreign
Affairs Council held in Brussels on 13 December in an attempt to gain
European support for a unilateral declaration of independence. According to
the Council's official communiqué, the EU acknowledges the Palestinians'
desires and supports the creation of a "Palestinian State", but does not
consider that the time has yet come for its official recognition.
Unofficially, EU representatives have suggested that they might be
speculating on August 2011 as a possible date.
* On 12 December Portugal upgraded the status of the PA's
representation in Lisbon to that of an Embassy, with all the diplomatic
implications that involves. Norway followed soon after, granting the PA's
office the same status on 17 December.
* On 10 December, 26 former political personalities in Europe, led by
Lord Patten and Hubert Vedrine, sent a letter to the European President,
Herman van Rompuy, denouncing Israel's "lack of sincerity", calling for
sanctions against all products originating from the West Bank and demanding
the dismantling of all settlements before any upgrading of the relationship
between Israel and the EU is contemplated.
* The same day, the "moderate" PA negotiator Saeb Erekat published an
op-ed in The Guardian demanding the right to return to Israel of 7 million
Palestinian refugees, asserting that without such a measure no peace would
be possible.
* Finally, on 11 December the US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton,
delivered a speech in Washington DC in which she claimed that the lack of a
"Palestinian State" was both
"unacceptable" and "unsustainable" and that it deprived the "Palestinian
people of dignity and self-determination". She called for immediate talks on
borders, security, settlements, water, refugees and the status of Jerusalem
itself.
These cannot be seen as simply isolated an unconnected incidents. The
concerted aim appears to be to lay the foundations for the unilateral
declaration of independence of a "Palestinian State", flying in the face of
the basic principle that a stable and long-lasting peace can only be
achieved through negotiation: by an agreement between the parties involved
and by their commitment to stand by it "
Topic: The latest steps toward a unilateral declaration of state by the Fakestinians (Read 403 times)