Israel plans int’l campaign to prevent unilateral recognition of Palestine

Israel is planning an international campaign to prevent countries from voting in favour of Palestine joining the UN as a full member state tomorrow and stop individual countries from unilaterally recognising the State of Palestine, Israel Hayom reported yesterday.

According to the paper, Tel Aviv fears the EU could unilaterally recognise a Palestinian state in the event of an Israeli invasion of Rafah where nearly 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering after being forcibly displaced from across Gaza.

The Israeli fears are triggered by the announcement of Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg and Slovenia of their intention to recognise the State of Palestine.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs fears such a step would come into effect within a few weeks, the paper added, especially in the event of an Israeli invasion of Rafah.

As a result, the newspaper explained, Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, ordered the formation of a special operations team to prevent countries from recognising the State of Palestine, adding that Israeli ambassadors in the concerned countries had also been instructed to work with the countries’ foreign ministries and influential groups to persuade them against taking such a step step.

Israel also intends to turn to “friendly countries” within the EU – namely Germany, Austria, Italy, Hungary and the Czech Republic – to prevent the body from recognising Palestine as such a decision requires complete unanimity.

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According to the newspaper, Israel also strongly believes the United States can restrict European countries’ recognition of the State of Palestine “if it wants to”.

The newspaper quoted an Israeli politician as saying that, according to American law, the United States can immediately stop transferring financial contributions to the United Nations if it ratifies recognition of the State of Palestine which amounts to $20 billion in direct and indirect support; a fifth of the United Nations budget.

Israel also intends to launch a media campaign directed at the public in Europe, with a central message claiming that the “unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state would be a reward for Hamas.”