Shalev tells FADC Israel's UN standing is at record low

C'tee discusses vote on Palestinian state expected for Sept.; ex-Mossad head: Israel not in position to sign final agreement with Palestinians.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
FADC meeting (photo credit: Knesset Channel)
FADC meeting
(photo credit: Knesset Channel)
The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee (FADC) met Monday morning to discuss preparedness for a UN declaration recognizing an independent Palestinian state slated for September. Former Israeli ambassador to the UN Gabriela Shalev painted a grim picture of Israel's standing in the UN, saying Israel has "hit a record low" that "began with Operation Cast Lead."
Shalev called the Palestinian move towards UN recognition of their state an "intermediate goal," and one that seeks "to destroy [Israel] before the international community." Shalev concluded that Israel must take pointed diplomatic and political strides in order to persuade countries that "the one-sided declaration is an approach that will not bring benefit to the Palestinians and certainly hurt the peace process."
RELATED:Peres: If Arabs accepted ’47 UN plan, we'd have peaceItaly won’t recognize PA gov't that doesn’t accept Israel
Pnina Sharvit, former head of the International Law Department of the IDF, stressed that despite concern over what the declaration may do to Israel in the international community, between Israel and the Palestinians, "The declaration does not cancel all pre-existing agreements signed and implemented. She stressed that the focus should be on what would change in the future as a result of the declaration.
A real example of the implications of the UN Security Council resolution, Sharvit said, was that "the settlements will become occupied territories belonging to the Palestinian state." This means that an "occupied" area "will belong to an actual state recognized internationally."
Former Mossad head Ephraim Halevy said that Israel could in no way sign any permanent agreement, concluding however that Israel will need to conduct talks on the notion that "the settlement is not final... not an ultimate solution; perhaps a step on the way." Halevy added that a final settlement will not materialize without negotiations.
Labor MK Amir Peretz confronted the committee members, challenging them to ponder to what lengths they will go to reach any final settlement with or without negotiations. He stressed that "the price for peace in the Middle East is very, very expensive," adding that any solution would require compromise and concessions.