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Time to Call the Palestinians' UN Bluff

(Commentary) Jonathan S. Tobin - Both the U.S. and Israel are expending a great deal of effort trying to convince UN member states to oppose the Palestinian effort to gain the world body's recognition for their independence in the 1967 lines. But as harmful as this debate may be to Israel's standing in the world, it is becoming increasingly clear the effort is a gigantic bluff. For all of the scare-mongering that has been going on about the PA's UN plans, it is the Palestinians who have the most to lose from this strategy. Even Western European nations unsympathetic to Israel understand what is going on here. The PA has turned to the UN because it fears going back to peace talks where their unwillingness to accept a deal that recognizes the legitimacy of a Jewish state no matter where its borders are drawn will again be exposed. This initiative is rightly viewed by the Obama administration as a direct challenge to its leadership. The PA's tactics are sufficiently insulting to the U.S. that it just may motivate the administration to make good on threats to cut off American aid. The U.S. and Israel must stand firm in their refusal to be bulldozed into concessions that might tempt the Palestinians to back off. If they follow through on their UN threat, the Palestinians, not Israel or the U.S., will be the big loser.
2011-08-12 00:00:00
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