Israeli figures urge Europe to back 'Palestine' at UN

A group of notable Israeli figures, among them former senior officials, are calling on Europe to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations in September in a letter published on Friday. "In the face of endless procrastination and mutual distrust, a declaration of Palestinian independence is not only legitimate, but also a positive and constructive step for the benefit of the two nations," the letter reads. Since the collapse of direct peace talks late last year, the Palestinian leadership has pursued a strategy aimed at securing UN recognition of their promised state on 1967 borders in a move likely to take place in September. In a statement accompanying the letter, the signatories urged "European leaders to recognise Palestinian statehood in 2011," saying a declaration of independence was "consistent with fundamental Israeli interests" and could even "rejuvenate the moribund peace process." Among the signatories were former attorney general Michael Ben-Yair, ex-foreign ministry director Alon Liel, former parliamentary speaker Avraham Burg and Nobel Prize laureate Daniel Kahneman. Organisers said they would seek meetings with European ambassadors to further their campaign. "The failure of the international community and primarily of the United States to renew peace negotiations reflects an undeniable and disconcerting reality: peace has been taken captive by the 'Peace Process'," the letter said. It also accused the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of using the peace process "as a distraction manoeuvre rather than a means to conflict resolution." The letter was published just days after Netanyahu gave a key address to the US Senate which failed to offer any new political initiative which could revive peace talks and thereby dissuade the Palestinians from heading to the UN in September. "Netanyahu’s horror show in Washington and the unequivocal support he received from the US congress may mark the end of the peace process," the group said. "The only alternatives at this time are the Palestinian push towards independence or the risk of another surge of violence." The Palestinians have consistently said that in the absence of any peace talks, they will press ahead with plans to approach the United Nations in a move which many believe will unleash a "diplomatic tsunami" against Israel. Israel strongly opposes the move, as does Washington, with both parties saying a Palestinian state can only arise out of a negotiated settlement. "I strongly believe for the Palestinians to take the United Nations route rather than the path of sitting down and talking with the Israelis is a mistake," Obama said in London on Wednesday. But the group behind the letter, all of whom are supporters of the Sheikh Jarrah Solidarity Movement, a grassroots Israeli protest organisation which fights for Palestinian rights in annexed east Jerusalem, said they would support any such declaration. "If and when the Palestinian people declares independence in a sovereign state to exist side by side with Israel in peace and security we shall support such declaration," they wrote, pledging to recognise a state based on the 1967 lines, with land swaps and Jerusalem as the capital of both states. "The Gaza Strip should also be recognised as part of the Palestinian state as long as its leadership acknowledges Israel’s right to existence," it added, referring to the Islamist Hamas movement which rules the coastal enclave but which does not recognise the Jewish state.