Prosor: Palestinian Authority ‘in clear violation’ of agencies it applied to

Israel's envoy to the UN says Palestinians "forget the surprising concept that joining international treaties also includes obligations.”

By MICHAEL WILNER
Ron Prosor (photo credit: COURTESY ISRAELI EMBASSY TO US‏)
Ron Prosor
(photo credit: COURTESY ISRAELI EMBASSY TO US‏)
NEW YORK – Israel’s envoy to the UN Ron Prosor accused the Palestinian Authority on Sunday of violating the protocols of the international organizations and conventions which it has applied to join.
His statement came after PA President Mahmoud Abbas initiated membership applications to 15 agencies for the “State of Palestine” last week, ending the restraint that his leadership committed to at the beginning of negotiations for a two-state solution over the summer. Those talks, moderated by the United States, are scheduled to expire on April 29.
Abbas has said his actions are in response to Israel’s failure to release a final tranche of prisoners, as was originally part of the original commitment to talks. Israeli officials initially said the fourth and last prisoner release was simply delayed, but now say it has been canceled completely.
“Had the Palestinians bothered to read the applications to the various conventions they seek to join, they would understand that they are in blatant violation of the majority of their articles,” Prosor said. “They tend to forget the surprising concept that joining international treaties also includes obligations.”
Abbas has threatened action against Israel at the UN for years, drawing ire from Israel and threats of obstruction – and a cutoff in aid – from the US. Prosor indicated that should the Palestinians proceed, actions in the UN would be reciprocal.
“I remind Abbas that when he sends journalists to jail, he actually violates the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” Prosor said. “If he will sign the convention, I’m afraid it’s something he’ll have to work on.”
Prosor made the comments on a security panel at The Jerusalem Post Annual Conference in New York, alongside MKs Omer Bar-Lev, Nachman Shai and David Rotem, as well as Adm. (res.) Eliezer Marom and the paper’s Caroline Glick and Herb Keinon.