US Efforts to Salvage Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process Intensify

Strategic Insights -

US officials have put the Israeli-Palestinian peace process at the top of their agendas, with President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton meeting with world leaders at the United Nations in New York. This comes as Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas prepares to seek full UN membership for an independent Palestine. The focus is now on a statement from the Quartet of the US, the European Union, Russia, and the UN that would set the path for a resumption of direct negotiations between the two parties. Secretary Clinton met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and the two agreed to have their specialists on the peace process meet again to work on a statement that could relaunch direct negotiations.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US has shifted its focus to salvaging the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, with both President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton putting the issue at the top of their agendas.
  • Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas is set to seek full UN membership for an independent Palestine, despite the focus on a Quartet statement that would set the path for a resumption of direct negotiations.
  • Secretary Clinton met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and the two agreed to have their specialists on the peace process meet again to work on a statement that could relaunch direct negotiations.
  • President Obama is expected to address the issue with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who is a rotating member of the UN Security Council.
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced his readiness to meet with Mr. Abbas in New York, but has not mentioned meeting any Palestinian Authority demands.
  • The US has vowed to use its veto to stop the Palestinian plan if it comes to a vote, but diplomats are canvassing to assess likely vote totals and see if there might be a way for the US to avoid using its veto.
  • To succeed, the Palestinian request for full UN membership would require nine positive votes and no veto.

Statistics:

  • 9: The number of positive votes required for the Palestinian request for full UN membership to succeed.
  • 1: The permanent member of the Security Council that has vowed to use its veto to stop the Palestinian plan, the US.
  • 15: The number of members on the UN Security Council.
  • 6 months: The proposed period during which negotiations would resume and Abbas would not pursue statehood through the Security Council.

Sources:

  • AP - "US Shifts Focus on Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process"
  • United Nations - "Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Foreign Ministers, including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton"
  • Israeli News - "Netanyahu Announces Readiness to Meet with Abbas in New York"
  • Arab News - "US Diplomats Canvassing for Support on Palestinian Statehood Bid"