October 8, 2009

Hot Potato

The UN Security Council has, shockingly, rejected a Libyan special request to hold an emergency meeting on the Goldstone report; PA president Mahmoud Abbas reportedly approved of the measure. The Security Council did say the Goldstone report would be taken up at the next meeting in March, but another delay is likely in the cards.

Israel and America obviously don't want to touch the Goldstone report and Abbas doesn't look thrilled either. In the words of State Spokesman Ian Kelly, "these issues should be discussed in a constructive and non-divisive manner," otherwise relations will suffer further damage. True, except Israel is unlikely to probe the report without external pressure from America, who in turn is unlikely to force the issue against Israel's will.

Barring a miracle, negotiations aren't going to see much progression in six months and again the situation will be too fragile to address the Goldstone report. The West must realize how counterproductive this actually is to the peace process.
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman isn't a favorite in America or Palestine, but we'll see how real he is.

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