RAMALLAH, October 30 (JMCC) - The passing of the benchmark of US mid-term elections next week could expedite a paradigm shift underway between Palestinians and Israelis, writes Aluf Benn. Palestinians are threatening to go to the United Nations seeking a resolution on Palestinian statehood.
If they do, Israel has a number of options.
Instead of panicking, Israel might try to turn the tables on the Palestinians. You want to go to the Security Council? it could ask them. Be our guest. Perhaps, instead of waging an all-out war to stave off such a decision in the UN, Netanyahu would negotiate with Obama about the character and content of it, and thus mold it in a way that mitigates any harm to Israeli interests. Netanyahu could, for instance, work to incorporate in such a resolution demands for Israel to be recognized as a Jewish state, for annulling the Palestinian refugees' right of return, for IDF troop deployment in the Jordan Valley, and for preservation of settlement blocs in the West Bank. Should the Palestinians agree to such modifications, Netanyahu would attain the historical agreement he has promised to achieve; should they say no, international pressure on Israel would abate.
Read the opinion piece at Haaretz...
