BICOM

The Associated Press (AP) claims that Palestinian officials intend on taking measures to isolate Israel following the formation of the next Israeli government, which they expect will be led by current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Last month, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly recognised the Palestinian delegation as representative of a non-member state. The AP report says that Palestinian leaders are hoping to leverage this new status alongside recent international disquiet over Israeli government approval for construction plans in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, to isolate Israel in the international arena.

The report quotes Hussam Zumlot, an aide to Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas who said, “2013 will see a new Palestinian political track. There will be new rules in our relationship with Israel and the world.”

Among the measures reportedly being considered are mass protests against Israel and a suspension of cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian security forces in the West Bank, which has been key to maintaining the relative quiet in the area over the past few years. PA cabinet member Mohammed Ishtayeh is quoted saying, “There will be no security cooperation as long as there is no political horizon.”

Meanwhile, the report also claims that there are Palestinian plans to use its recent UN recognition to join the International Criminal Court and pursue war crimes charges against Israeli officials over settlement construction.  Palestine Liberation Organisation official Qais Abdulkareem told AP, “We are going to pursue this policy to reach a point of having the international community impose sanctions on Israel.”

AP also quotes Mark Regev, spokesman for Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office, who said “One would hope we will in fact see in 2013 the re-emergence of the Israeli-Palestinian negotiating process,” as “there is no substitute for direct talks.”

Britain and the European Union has called on the Palestinians to use their new status at the UN as a basis to return to negotiations without preconditions, and not to further undermine efforts to resume talks.