U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry threatened to impose sanctions on the Palestinian Authority (PA) if it goes ahead with unilateral moves, such as asking the United Nations Security Council to set a deadline for Israel to withdraw from Judea and Samaria, the London-based al-Araby al-Jadeed newspaper reported on Monday
Speaking on condition of anonymity, official sources confirmed to the newspaper that Kerry called PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and warned him against taking any unilateral measures, threatening to impose financial and political sanctions on the PA. He said the most effective way forward would be to resume negotiations.
The sources added that “Kerry stressed the importance of calming the situation in occupied Jerusalem to avoid serious consequences.”
The sources said an Arab committee would meet in Cairo on November 29 to put the final touches on an Arab draft resolution to be submitted to the Security Council to recognize the Palestinian state.
However, speaking to al-Araby al-Jadeed, other sources close to the PA expressed doubt that Abbas would actually go through with the UN resolution.
“There are Arab and U.S. pressures that will make it impossible for the Palestinian President to take a step like submitting the draft resolution by the end of this month or even before the end of this year”, the sources added.
The PA has been threatening to turn to the Security Council with a resolution setting a deadline for Israel to “end the occupation”, a unilateral move that is in violation of the Oslo Accords.
The move has been accompanied by threats, with Abbas have recently threatened to cut ties with Israel if his latest unilateral move at the UN fails.
“If all efforts fail, we will end relations with Israel and I will tell Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, ‘Come and take over’. However, I will not dismantle the Palestinian Authority and I will submit a request to join all the organizations belonging to the UN,” he declared.
Fatah leader Nabil Shaath recently threatened Israel with a “political war” if there is a negative response to Abbas’s steps at the United Nations.
