ISRAEL LOOKING INTO REVOKING OSLO ACCORDS IN RESPONSE TO PALESTINIAN UN BID
Prime Minister's Bureau confirmed that the National Security Council
is discussing alternatives ahead of September, and would present them
to the political echelon for a decision when it is done.
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A team headed by National Security Adviser Ya'akov Amidror is looking
into calling off the Oslo Accords in response to the Palestinian
Authority's unilateral plan to gain United Nations recognition for an
independent state.
The Prime Minister's Bureau confirmed yesterday only that the NSC was
discussing many alternatives ahead of September, and would be
presenting them to the political echelon for a decision when it was
done.
Israeli officials did confirm that recent discussions held by Amidror
had mentioned the option of voiding the Oslo Accords. However, this
is not considered a leading alternative, they said. "It is one of the
options that will be presented to the political echelon," a source
said.
Meanwhile, the PA is continuing its preparations ahead of the UN
General Assembly meeting in September. Palestinian ambassadors who
met in Istanbul over the past two days were informed that a meeting
on the final draft of the UN resolution would be held in Doha, Qatar,
with representatives of the PA, Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia on
August 4. The resolution will call on the United Nations to recognize
a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders as a full UN member.
The Palestinian diplomats were instructed to launch a public
relations campaign among international Jewish communities, in an
attempt to explain the significance of the move. Meanwhile, Israel is
working to rally support from states to oppose the UN move. It is
also making preparations for the "day after."
A senior Israeli official said that three weeks ago, Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu told Amidror to start drafting day-after plans
with other government bodies. These include recommending a potential
Israeli political response.
Skirting the Security Council
Israeli officials believe the Palestinians will skirt the Security
Council and will appeal directly to the General Assembly, in order to
avoid a potential American veto. The Palestinian proposal is expected
to receive the backing of more than 140 UN members.
Another senior Israel official noted that Amidror has started initial
discussions at the NSC with representatives from the foreign,
defense, finance, industry and trade, and justice ministries, as well
as from the Israel Defense Forces Planning Bureau and the Military
Advocate General's Department of International Law.
The NSC asked the various government offices to consider the
implications of Israel announcing that it considers the Oslo Accords
void due to the unilateral Palestinian move, should the General
Assembly approve the bid.
Israel is concerned that the Palestinians may use the General
Assembly resolution in order to launch a legal fight in the
International Court at the Hague, or to try to alter the economic and
security arrangements reached over the past 18 years.
NSC officials told representatives of the various government and
military bodies that Israel would not initiate such a move, but may
do so in response to the Palestinian actions. The various bodies were
asked to present their views and legal opinions, and to offer
possible responses. The matter has still not been discussed by the
ministers.
"Netanyahu is opposed to actions such as annexing settlements to
Israel in response to a Palestinian move at the UN," said an Israeli
source familiar with the discussions. "Therefore, the NSC is
evaluating other possibilities, one of them being voiding the Oslo
Accords. In any case, there is no decision yet."
The Oslo Accords between Israel and the PLO were struck between 1993
and 1995, and are the legal framework for the relationship between
Israel and the Palestinian Authority in matters including security,
economy and infrastructure. Doing away with the accords would require
reexamining key issues, primarily the status of the PA in the West
Bank.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman had mentioned doing away with the
Oslo Accords during a meeting with European Union High Representative
Catherine Ashton on June 17. Even though Lieberman supports such a
response to a unilateral Palestinian move, officials at the Foreign
Ministry consider such action "counterproductive."
