In an article in the Ottawa Citizen today Peter Larson, Secretary of the Canada-Arab Relations, stated, on the issue of granting the Palestinians statehood:
What is Israel so afraid of? How would a vote at the UN recognizing Palestine cause so much difficulty for Israel?
One possible clue comes from a recent fundraising letter written by Lee Rosenberg, president of AI-PAC, the dominant Israeli lobby group in Washington. In part, the letter warns AIPAC members that if the UN resolution passes, "Israelis could be dragged into foreign courts and charged with human rights violations . nations could implement sweeping economic sanctions . the Jewish presence in east Jerusalem could come under severe international challenge."
As stated in my earlier post, the granting of statehood to the Palestinians would profoundly change the legal status of the parties in the area. There is no doubt that the Palestinians (who are brilliant at seizing public relations opportunities) would do just as Rosenberg suggests. Israel would become eminently more isolated. Even its so call "friends" would have difficulty in defending Israel in the international forum. I believe that Prime Minister Harper knows that only too well. Canada has already stated categorically this it would not support Palestinian statehood.
Bernie.
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