A Palestinian drive to ask the United Nations Security Council to endorse a state unilaterally appeared more an expression of frustration with U.S. and Israeli policies and stalled peace talks than a real effort to go it alone.
A resolution for a Palestinian state would likely face a veto from the United States, Israel’s main ally. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the Palestinian threat over the weekend, warning Israel would retaliate any unilateral effort.
“There is no substitute for negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians,” Netanyahu said in a speech at the Saban Forum in Jerusalem Nov. 15, saying he wanted a full peace agreement with them. — ap