On the recordSeptember 21, 2011
On Friday, Palestinian Authority President Abbas plans to seek recognition of a Palestinian state before the United Nations. A vote in the U.N. will bypass bilateral peace negotiations between Israel and the P.A. and will threaten the success of a mutual solution. Leaders in the United States, Israel, and the P.A. have long worked toward a mutual solution, and the P.A., seeking unilateral recognition from the U.N. is not only harmful to these efforts, but also to the security of the State of Israel. It's also important to note that the action coincides with a period of extreme volatility between Israel and their Middle Eastern neighbors. Israel's alliance with Turkey has continued to unravel over the past year, and its peace agreement with Egypt is in jeopardy. The Palestinian Authority's move to circumvent direct talks with Israel will undermine Israel's right to exist. I call for President Abbas to withdraw his request for a U.N. vote and instead finally agree to sit down at the negotiating table with the U.S. and Israel to develop a mutual, legitimate solution. ____________________
