Speaking at the UN General Assembly shortly after President Obama urged the Palestinians to abandon their bid for UN membership, the French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned a Security Council veto against the Palestinian statehood bid, 'risks engendering a cycle of violence in the Middle East'.
Sarkozy's comments expose a clear divide between France and the United States, who have repeatedly asserted that the US will veto any such resolution at the Security Council.
Sarkozy said,
“Let us cease our endless debates on the parameters. Let us begin negotiations and adopt a precise timetable.”
"Each of us knows that Palestine cannot immediately obtain full and complete recognition of the status of United Nations member state,"
"But who could doubt that a veto at the Security Council risks engendering a cycle of violence in the Middle East?"
"Why not envisage offering Palestine the status of United Nations observer state? This would be an important step forward. Most important, it would mean emerging from a state of immobility that favors only the extremists.”
The Palestinians currently have the status of an observer “entity” in the United Nations.
Recognition as an 'observer state', although falling well short of full membership, would allow Palestinians to join subsidiary bodies and the treaties of the UN.
Crucially such status could pave the way to Palestinians joining the International Criminal Court and pursuing legal proceedings against Israel on issues such as settlement activity.
Israeli President Netanyahu has criticised the bid stating it would “set back peace, and might set it back for years.”
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is due to seek UN membership for the state of Palestine this Friday.
See our earlier posts:
'Netanyahu calls for talks as Palestine prepares membership bid'
'Palestinians seek UN membership'
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