RAMALLAH, August 16, 2011 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas appealed for political and financial support from the Arab countries, warning that without this support efforts to gain United Nations full membership and recognition of a state within 1967 borders in September would not be as successful, according to an article Abbas wrote and published in the Saudi Al-Watan newspaper on Monday.
Abbas was referring to pressure the United States is exerting on the Palestinians to withdraw their UN bid, warning that it may take action against the Palestinians if they proceed with their plan.
In the article Abbas wrote, he said that “unless we get Arab political and financial support to pass this critical stage, pressure and threats will continue and will lower our chances of success.”
He said, “It is clear how much concern our initiative has provoked with Israel. It is also clear the volume of pressure and threats we are facing from Israel and its allies so that we will cancel our plan to address the UN. However, we are determined to continue on this road until the end.”
The President reiterated that “we did not decide to seek UN recognition as an alternative to negotiations, which will continue to be out first choice towards achieving peace, whether it was before or after September. More than that, we believe our success in this international forum will strengthen chances of entering into serious negotiations.”
He said, “We did not embark on this initiative if we hadn’t face facts that are known to all, foremost of which was that bilateral negotiations have reached a deadlock, second, the Israeli government did not show a single sign or give us hope that it is ready to enter into serious and responsible negotiations that would lead to a just peace, and third the peace sponsors have become unable to persuade Israel to meet its obligations and stop settlement activities that engender the peace process.'
Abbas is expected to attend a meeting for the Arab League’s Arab peace initiative follow-up committee, which will be held in the Qatari capital, Doha, on August 23, specifically to discuss developments and arrangements made to support the Palestinians’ September plan.
R.Q./M.A.
