Palestine – Israel Clarifies Her Position

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The Embassy of Israel in Canberra has issued a statement on next month’s move at the United Nations to bring about a Palestinian Unilateral Declaration of Independence.

Israel does not oppose a Palestinian state, only its unilateral declaration

It should be emphasised that the issue being discussed is not the question of the establishment of a Palestinian state but rather the means being used to achieve this end. Unilateral actions will not lead to peace, but will complicate any peace process.

The government of Israel, in common with previous governments, is dedicated to a solution of two states for two peoples, living side by side in peace and security.

Israel remains committed to the quest for peace and has a long proven track record of making strategic concessions for that goal. Over the past decades, it has proved its willingness to negotiate land transfers, leaving Sinai for peace with Egypt and leaving Gaza and South Lebanon.

Negotiations are the only path to true peace

The only way to achieve a true and sustainable peace is through negotiations. A unilateral declaration of statehood violates the basic principle of a negotiated peace.

Israel remains keen to engage in bilateral negotiations to resolve the conflict. The Palestinian leadership, on the other hand, has made a decision that it is no longer interested in direct negotiations with Israel, preferring to attempt to force their solution on Israel through international pressure.

Israel calls on the Palestinian leadership to return to the negotiating table without preconditions, so that a genuine and lasting resolution can be found.

Imposed solutions from the outside will not bring peace

All past attempts to import a solution to the conflict from outside parties have failed.  Nor can peace be imposed. History has shown that the peace treaties between Israel and its neighbors were made possible by negotiations between the parties. In this case as well, peace will only be achieved in direct negotiations.

The core issues will not be resolved by a UN resolution

Even if a resolution regarding a Palestinian state is reached in the UN, the Palestinians will not be able to avoid negotiating with Israel if they wish to achieve peace. None of the core issues – including borders, Jerusalem, refugees and water – will be resolved by a UN resolution.

A UN resolution will harm efforts for peace, by locking the Palestinians into positions that cannot be sustained and by precluding the compromises necessary for any peace agreement.

A unilateral declaration undermines basic principles of Mideast peacemaking

A unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood undermines all internationally accepted frameworks for Mideast peace (UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 338, 1850; the Roadmap; Quartet statements, etc.), which call for a mutually-negotiated and agreed resolution of the conflict and which have consistently rejected unilateral actions.

Unilateral Palestinian action violates existing agreements

A unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood would violate existing Palestinian-Israeli bilateral peace agreements, most notably the Interim Agreement from 1995, which expressly prohibits unilateral action by either side to change the status of the West Bank and Gaza prior to reaching a negotiated permanent status agreement.

The possibilities of violence

The Palestinian UN manoeuvres may have implications for the situation on the ground. Reports indicate that the Palestinians are planning demonstrations to coincide with their political moves, demonstrations that could slip into violence. Moreover, when Palestinians realize that that their political moves do not translate into a change in their conditions, their disappointment could also lead them to violence.

Israel hopes that the Palestinian Authority will keep the public order and prevents the situation from disintegrating into violence. Israel will take the necessary steps to preserve the sovereignty of its borders and the safety of its citizens.

Premature recognition of a Palestinian state means recognition of terrorists

In preparation for the unilateral declaration of a state, the Palestinian Authority has signed a reconciliation agreement with the Hamas. Hamas continues to call for the destruction of Israel and rejects the most basic conditions of the international community for recognition as a legitimate actor in the region. Supporting this agreement without any change in position by Hamas would serve as de facto international recognition of Hamas’ legitimacy.

Hamas continues to be a recognised terrorist organization, outlawed in numerous states throughout the world, including the UK and the US. It seeks Israel destruction and rejects the three Quartet Principles (recognition of Israel’s right to exist, acceptance of existing agreements and an end to violence).