The Foreign Ministry on Monday ordered every Israeli envoy abroad to begin "urgent" diplomatic activity to thwart Palestinian efforts at drafting a United Nations resolution to recognize unilateral declaration of statehood and put international pressure on Israel to halt settlement construction.
Foreign Ministry Director-General Rafael Barak sent a classified cable to Israeli charges d'affairs to open an immediate public relations campaign on the matter at the bureaus of the premiers, foreign ministers and parliament in each respective country.
"The Palestinian Authority is in the midst of three central political actions aimed at the international community, advancing a UN Security Council resolution condemning settlement construction; getting international recognition of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders; and improving the diplomatic stance of Palestinian representatives in Europe, East Asia and Latin America."
"The Palestinian proceedings arose from disappointment with American policy and the lack of progress in the political process."
"The issue came to the forefront in Secretary of State [Hillary] Clinton's address to the Saban forum, in which she did not refer to the 1967 borders, in the U.S. House of Representative's resolution against recognizing unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state, in the American announcement that negotiations with Israel had failed, and also in [U.S. envoy George] Mitchell's visit to the region, which disappointed the Palestinians."
"The Palestinian activity was not yet at the helm of "breaking dishes" on the peace process, but were rather processes that could take place alongside negotiations and a settlement freeze."
"The Palestinians were hoping that their proceedings would encourage Barack Obama's administration to take certain steps in their future, including dealing with the 1967 borders and increasing pressure on Israel."
"Advancing a resolution a UN resolution on the issue of settlements won't bring the sides back to negotiations,It can only hurt attempts to renew talks. The settlements issue is one of many matters that must be resolved by the sides within the framework of negotiations on a permanent agreement according to the principles of the 1993 accords. It is not effective nor constructive to isolate the issues."
