Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Ron Prosor, took a few moments from his busy schedule to update Arutz Sheva on the stalled Palestinian Authority statehood bid at the United Nations.

First and foremost, things are not over yet,” Prosor cautioned. “The Security Council bid is a dead end because of the American veto.”

However, Prosor alluded to the PA threat to attempt to gain the requisite 9 affirmative recommendations in the 15-member decision making body as a means of “shaming” the US for blocking the bid with its veto.

“Where we are now is trying to make sure that the Palestinians do not have 9 countries that will support their bid to become the 194th member-state of the United Nations,” Prosor said.

“So, that’s one direction [of attack], which probably will not take place,” Prosor said. “The other thing is that they can go to the General Assembly, nearly every day, because they have the automatic votes.”

PLO officials have long enjoyed an “automatic majority” in the General Assembly where Arab nations, their African allies, and key oil consumers vote en bloc against Israel.

While the General Assembly does not have the power to induct the PLO as a full voting member – it could seek to pass resolutions in the PLOs favor aimed at achieving the same end in increments.  

“So, where we are now at the beginning of 2012 is the Palestinians trying to internationalize the conflict and going out and trying to do things on an international level to impose something [a solution -ed.] instead of negotiations,” Prosor said.

“And we wee that trend continuing in the year 2012,” he added.

Asked if he was daunted by the automatic majority against Israel at the United Nations he faces day in and day out, Prosor said he remained upbeat about his role.

“Its challenging, but not depressing,” Prosor said. “I can tell you that I walk those corridors of the United Nations tall and proud because I know who I represent and what I represent.”

“It is really a schut – an honor – to do that,” he added.

Asked what other challenges he faces as Israel’s envoy at the UN, Prosor said, “What challenges don’t I have at the United Nations?”

Prosor added one of his primary goals was to show the world that there was more to Israel than the ongoing political conflict with the Arabs.

“The most important challenge is to tell the world what Israel is all about,” he said, emphasizing “The amazing technological, cutting edge abilities in different fields… in tikkun olam [making the world a better place -ed.]… in doing things from agriculture to high-tech that the world mostly doesn’t know about.”

“To give you an example, when we introduced a resolution on agricultural technologies, 102 countries co-sponsored it and 133 countries supported it,” he said proudly.

“Hence we can really push what Israel is about beyond the political conflict.”