Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stated that he intends to submit, Friday, a resolution calling for a three-year timetable for the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied West Bank, after his scheduled speech at the UN General Assembly.Israeli daily Haaretz said Abbas informed US Secretary of State, John Kerry, that he is determined to submit the resolution proposal as more than twenty years of direct “peace talks” with Tel Aviv failed to achieve their intended goal of liberation and independence, while Israel continues its violations, and settlement construction and expansion activities.
Israel does not seem to be concerned about the Palestinian move as its leaders are sure the United States will use its Veto power to topple the resolution, as it did numerous times before, while the US insists “only direct peace talks” can bring a resolution to the conflict.
See: Washington Threatens Sanctions Should PA Approach UN with Proposal to Dismantle Israeli Occupation
Abbas is hoping the UN Security Council would pass a binding resolution, setting a timetable for complete withdrawal from the territories Israel illegally captured during the 1967 war, including occupied East Jerusalem.
Haaretz said the United States did not offer Abbas any alternatives to his plan, but only asked him not to head to the Security Council.
On his part, Abbas said his aim is to get the United Nations to set a timetable for direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, and to agree on a map that clearly defines the borders of Israel and the future Palestinian State.
The Palestinian leader added that Israel was failing to show any interest in real peace talks as its continued its invasions and violations in the occupied territories, and is ongoing with its illegitimate construction of expansion of Jewish settlement on Palestinian lands illegally occupied by Tel Aviv.
He added that, should the UN reject his plan; the Palestinians will resume their applications to join more international institutions, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), an issue that would allow the Palestinians to bring charged against Israel for war crime, including Israel’s repeated wars on the civilians in Gaza.
Joining the ICC also opens the door for filing charges of war crimes against Tel Aviv for its ongoing construction and expansion of Jewish-only settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem, as settlements violate the Fourth Geneva Convention, and International Law.
President Abbas will be holding a meeting with Egypt’s President Abdul-Fattah al-Sissi, and U.S. President Barack Obama, hoping that this could advance the Palestinian demands.
According to the Associated Press, Prime Minister of the interim government in the West Bank Dr. Rami Hamdallah, told its reporter following a meeting for Donor Counties in Norway, that reconstructing Gaza requires around $3.8 Billion due to Israel’s extensive bombardment, including its bombardment homes, hospitals and medical centers, the Gaza Power Plant, and infrastructure.
He added that Saudi Arabia already pledged $500 million, while many other nations expressed interest in provided the needed support.
Meanwhile, the AFP said that President Abbas, Monday, called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine and make peace with the Palestinians.
Israeli Ynet News said Netanyahu will be delivering a speech in the UN General Assembly, and will hold a meeting with Obama to discuss the operations against the “Islamic State in Iraq and Syria(ISIS),’ the political agenda for “peace” talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
