Haaretz exclusive: Secret cables show Israel's battle plan over Palestinian UN bid

what goes around - comes around

As a cosequence we will always be against Israel. Remember: it was your choice we will not forget

the PA is a failed state before it even starts. they have no control of any borders, none with air or water either. they are completly dependant on Israel. they have no airport or seaport or their own currency. If the Pa would once again declare a state unilateraly, not only will the US veto any such vote, the US is talking about once again withholding funds from any UN agency that would recognise such a entity, as the US did back in 1988. the 8% to 10% economic growth that the PA currently enjoys, will bring their economy completely to a halt, especially after Israel terminates any work visas that are issued, that allows the pal arab employment in Israel proper. so in the end, there is nothing gained by the PA declaring a state unilaterally, but it would release Israel from any Oslo era agreements and with Hamas being a part of their government, will also end American financial aid.

looks like Arab Mooks hijacked this site in comments section lol

and offer them a free visit with avigdor lieberman? maybe this wasn't that well thought out...

In clear language, "Go convince the Nations that the only way for Israel to survive is to keep forcefully subjecting to its will a foreign stateless population." Not an easy mission indeed.

because Netanyahu and Lieberman have already exposed their true color when it comes to peace with Palestinians. The world is fed up with them.

because Netanyahu and Lieberman have already exposed their true color when it comes to peace with Palestinians. The world is fed up with them.

The tremendous Israeli effort via its diplomatic mission to counter a Palestinian UN declaration of statehood clearly shows the Palestinians SHOULD pursue it. The Israelis are scared. Go for it Abu Mazen!

Then it should very clearly be seen that the "united" Palestinians are only united in pleading with the UN for the creation of a State for the sole purpose of destroying another State brought into existence earlier by the same UN body.

Resolving the conflict through bilateral negotiations is only possible when both parties are on a par, i.e. equal. Presently, Israel regards Palestine as inferior. Recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state by the UNGA will correct this attitude through forceful diplomacy. Until that is accomlished, there can be no negotiations worth a damn.

Israel still has military censorship. This article was published with the knowledge of the Israeli government's military censors.

campaign believe that Israel will negotiate in good faith in the future?

campaign believe that Israel will negotiate in good faith in the future?

THE SPIN JUST DOSNT WORK ANY MORE. ISRAEL NEVER NEGOCIATES EXCEPT TO BUY MORE TIME FOR MORE "FACTS ON THE GROUND." EVEN ISRAEL'S FRIENDS CAN NOW SEE THAT DENYING ALL RIGHTS FOR ALL PALASTINIANS WILL DESTROY ISRAEL IN THE LONG TERM. ONLY THE USA & CANADA WILL VOTE FOR ISRAEL IN THE UN.

Israelis will quickly claim that declaring a Palestinian state is not the same as peace. Actually it will lead to peace if the Palestinian state is protected by the UN. Once Israel stops profitting by avoiding peace, then peace will have a much better chance. A Palestinian state will curtail settlement growth and this means Israel's primary reason for avoiding peace is finished.

What is the counter argument to the Netanyahu Five NOs?

Why is Israel so special? They've prevented peace talk development for how long now. First with all their excuses, and lately with Netanyahu's radical demands... The 1967 borders were defendable back in 67... What's changed since? Stronger IDF, crazy PM.

the only way to achieve peace is by having Palestinians doing nothing but negotiate with Israel....while Israeli negotiate with palestinians ...and at the same time build more and more settlements....I GOT IT

... except that the negotiations of this "peace process" have been about as bilateral as the Treaty of Versailles. Furthermore, you would *think* that just maybe, students of history that they are, the Israeli right could someday recognize that a Versailles is NOT in their best interest? I suppose that would just clutter the path of the grand messianic vision, of course.

i'd be thinking how the hell im gonna get all the settlers out of palestine. he should be asking for help to remove them not delay it

One thing that the PA/Hamas can do to ensure a stae of Palestine is acknowledged is September is to release the Israeli soldier held in rhe Gaza Strip,in August and at the same time for Hamas to state that it will accept the state of Israel within the 1967 borders (with mutualy agreed swaps) that it will also recognise Israel as a jewish state, so long as they accept Palestine as a Arab state, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and that both the PA/Hamas would be be happy for UN troops to monitor the internal border for a limited period (say 5 years) This will also mean the israeli air and sea blockade would have to cease, i dont thinkanyone at the UN could oppose this America may even have to accept or abstain

Follow the Israelis soliciting funds for your monument.

"Israel has started mobilizing its embassies for the battle against UN recognition of a Palestinian state in September, ordering its diplomats to convey that this would delegitimize Israel,,," lol what has been delegitimate is 60 year illegal occupation. you know, Israel, there are at least some people still living in this world with some sense!!

I doubt this can be very effective, but IMO effectiveness will depends on 2 factors: i) What arguments are presented (why it is not good to allow UN membership for the PA at this time; ii) The actors - who will do the talking. Netanyahu and Lieberman are not exactly popular actors ... (smile !) Sean Connery, Paul Newman, Jean Marais were definitely more popular (smile !) Have in mind that this is not about PA statehood - The State of Palestine, as the article points out has already been created in 1988, and it has been recognized by many states all over the world. This is about the State of Palestine gaining the prestige and protection that come with UN membership.

Personally though, I'm betting that Bibi attacks Iran to divert attention away from the Palestinian issue. It won't work though...and all he's going to achieve is to delegitimitize Israel even more...

How long can they sit back while Israel robs them of lands, water, rights, and freedoms? September at the UN.

why isn't Lieberman on the move? [heh heh heh]

This has never stopped Israel from shamelessly approaching these same nations and asking for special favors when the policies that those nations object to come under threat. In the past, Israel has used the American proxy to bring pressure on other nations to bow to Israel's requests. Is that machinery still working well enough to make Israel happy?

"But one senior Foreign Ministry official said that regardless of what efforts are made, only a few countries will vote against recognizing a Palestinian state in a General Assembly vote." And what of the Great Leader which has led Israel to this debacle?

Netanyahu destroyed the illusion, and delusion, that the USA would somehow bring Israel and Palestine to peace. This year Netanyahu was both loud and arrogant in his proclamation of defeat over Obama and Peace at the Battle of Washington. Now the entire world understands that Israel will never recognize a Palestinian State or allow any peace in the region. At this point only Israel can save itself from Netanyahu. It has only a few months to do so.

is way sleazy. Fingers crossed, September 2011

If Israeli has the US Senate and the US Congress on their side why the need for all this vast and unprecedented diplomatic offensive ??? Poor Israeli diplomats, no vacations in September .....

No doubt Israel has got organized to sabotage this attempt by the Palestinians to get state hood, and will unleash their ambassadors of misinformation to attack and deflect their attempts. Spoil sports.

The main requirement for PA state is government institutions as with Kosovo. Once PA opushes intent for State unilateraly they violate Oslo. At which time israel can remove the PA and the government Fayyad set up to get a state. This is the best scenario. Also, threatening Palestiniians with war, then maybe you will get some of these EU countries to think twice before supporting a war. This is an offensive strategy more suited to Israeli style

I've never really understood the Israeli objection to Palestinian statehood. If a unilateral declaration of independence was the right path for Israel, then there should be no objections if the Palestinians do the same. Perhaps the Israelis fear a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders would require them to withdraw the settlers from the illegal settlements in occupied Palestinian territory. That might be the price tag the Israelis will ultimately have to pay for their arrogance and greed - compliance with International Law.

Which principle that the only route to resolving the conflict is through bilateral negotiations??? The Palestinian bid to seek recognition from the UN is non violent, consistent with international law and international recognition of the right of self determination for the Palestinian people and consistent with international recognition that Israel has ILLEGALLY settled large parts of the OPT. The latter is not contingent on Israel's approval. The idea that Israel can dictate the terms of statehood after it has taken all the Palestinian land it wants, refused to accept any refugees, treated the Palestinians with contempt for decades and prevented the creation of a viable Palestinian state is RUBBISH. How can the Palestinians negotiate with a party that continuously says NO,NO, NO to any fair proposal and will not even look at the Saudi peace initiative that guaranteed it recognition and PEACE!!!!

Doesn't seem a lot different from what the Palestinians are doing on their part.

Yesterday, Haaretz ran a story about a top level meeting of top Hamas leaders, some of whom were critical because they felt that Hamas should launch more suicide bombers to gain "international legitimacy". Do you see anything like this in this exposed exclusive leak? As a matter of fact, in all the wiki-leaks, Israel looks better than just about anyone. Does Israel plan and promote its interests? Yes. Is there anything else new that we should know about?

Foreign Ministry, US Administration and Congress will have to live with...... They can not continue ignoring people's rights and their plight against tyrant occupation.

Of course they should communicate to others why a UN vote is NOT the appropriate course of action the palestinians ought to be taking. Its really quite normal that israel should want to enlighten others as to why ONLY negotiations is acceptable, not false and frankly impossible impositions.

Israel says the only way is through "negotiations". What negotiations??? They've been going on since the early 90's and what has been achieved for the Palestinians? The Israelis say negotiations but in the process they've built so many settlements that they now number around half million people when they were less than hundred thousand before the peace process began. So they fustrate the palestinians and then when they have an Intifada and now try peaceful means by going to the UN, israel opposes. It clearly shows that the current Israel leadership is opposed to a full independant Palestine, full stop! Palestinians are doing the right thing.

The problem for the USA, of course, is that we will be clearly seen before the rest of the world as blocking a national movement, not so dissimilar from Israel's own movement in 1948, which the USA found to be so desirable. The USA will not look good, and for good reason. It will be against the Palestinian spring!

This is precisely why the Palestinian factions must work ten times harder to get the recognition they deserve at the UN. They must not succumb to the divisions that threaten to thwart their own efforts to bring much needed attention to their cause even if the recognition is symbolic. Generations of Palestinian children are growing up devoid of purpose, looking hallow and deprived of life, liberty and the pursuit of justice no thanks to a cruel occupation. This is their struggle too. Please, for the love of God don't screw it up for them.

only a few countries will vote against recognizing a Palestinian state in a General Assembly vote, including the United States, Canada and a few European countries. The ministry's assessment is that most Asian, African and South American countries will vote in favor.. Because these countries are not foool...

Haaretz you rock!

The basic assumption is: "The Palestinian effort must be referred to as a process that erodes the legitimacy of the State of Israel" while the primary argument is: "by pursuing this process in the UN, the Palestinians are trying to achieve their aims in a manner other than negotiations with Israel". Riiiiight. Logically, one does not follow from the other **unless** you want to argue that the bedrock of Israel's "legitimacy" is its decades-long Lordship Over The Palestinians. Which is odd, because I didn't think that countries were allowed to keep slaves any more.....

How about spending this energy and efforts to get to the negociations table and sincerely look for realistic and fair solutions. lobbying and lobbying and lobbying is back firing some how

You can try to help them out for the rest of your lives but it will never work. They are harming their own chances for a better future. Israel isn't the problem. Your hatred for Israel will never help them.

What's the problem? Negotiations are fruitless. No more negotiations for the sake of negotiations. Israel was never serious about seeing a viable and independent Palestinian State being formed. Instead, Israel has used 20 years of negotiations to expand their settlements and change the facts on the ground. The time has come to create a Palestinian State whether Israel consents or not.

Has the Israeli govt put as much effort into how they will manage after "September", assuming the ridiculous, academic approach above fails?

I understand the temptation to leak secret information and score a journalistic coup. It is, however, a good idea to place national interests ahead of such temptation and keep secret information secret.

If it is true that Ireland is to finally recognise a Palestinian state this is great news. In Ireland it is known the true horror of being oppressed and occupied. The overwhelming majority of people across the world would support this, but we know how governments ignore their people. Ireland will be in the moral majority, taking a stand against oppression once again. Tiocfaidh ár lá, Free Palestine.

All the information in this article, except some minor details specifying author of a cable and the like, could be culled from Haaretz and JPost over the past two months based on statements made openly by FO and PMO. In fact, on the basis of probability alone, I would have guessed it all.

Each side would pick an arbitrator; the two arbitrators pick a third arbitrator. The parties argue their cases to the three arbitrators and the arbitrators decide the issues. Majority rules. We've all had enough of this dispute. For many of us it's been going on all of our lives. So immature. Both sides. It's worse than dealing with your kids.

it must be leading to a real Palestinian state.

If someone's land was taken, give it back or pay just compensation. The UN, (the entity that took land from Arabs and gave it to Jews to remedy problems caused by the Germans), needs to to invoke something like the legal Doctrine of Eminent Domain and award Just Compensati­­­­on in exchange for a Release of Claims to those who lost property. At the same time we need to draw some sensible borders enabling the Palestinia­­­­ns to establish a state. As far as the Jewish settlers go, they should be permitted to stay where they are. If they find themselves in Palestine they'll be Palestinia­­n citizens. Jewish Palestinia­­ns. Israel has Arabs. Palestine can have Jews. It's the same thing. No artificial borders for them. The fact is, once the settlers come to grips with this, most of them will leave voluntaril­­y. If some zealots chose to stay and become citizens of Palestine let them. Finally, if in Israel there is land that can be reasonably retaken by formerly displaced occupants then, instead of monetary compensati­on, restore to them. If they take it back they get to live there or sell it or use it in some reasonable way as per their choice.

Lie....

There's nothing so sacrosanct about the 1967 borders or the 1948 ones or the 1973 ones or even the present ones. What you need to do is figure out who lives where right now and draw a reasonable, sensible border. No enclaves for special interests like settlers. Those who find themselves on the Palestinian side of the line may move or stay. Their choice. If they choose to stay they'll be Palestinians. Palestinian Jews. Israel has Arabs, Palestine will have Jews. It's the same thing. The US has been watching Israel's back for a long time but Israel's intransigence is making the continuation of this policy untenable. Look at it this way, when the state was established the final borders were a work-in-progress and were drawn imperfectly. After 63 years we have a good idea as to where people live and we are now in a position to do this more sensibly. I once heard someone say that a good deal is when everybody walks away pissed off.