Post-Security Council Win, Palestinian’s Seek to Enlist International Intervention against Israel

Buoyed by their victory at the United Nations Security Council where a resolution was passed condemning Israel’s policy of building communities on land it conquered in the 1967 war but is claimed by the Palestinians, Palestinian leadership is aggressively seeking the intervention of the international community to force Israel out of post-1967 areas. The Palestinians continued to ride the crest of the appearance of international support when 70 nations that assembled in Paris on Sunday under the aegis of French President Francois Hollande reinforced the appearance of newfound international involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian after American-led efforts offered by outgoing President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry failed. It was illustrated by the comments of chief negotiator and General Secretary of the Palestine Liberation Organization Saeb Erekat following Wednesday’s deadly melee in the southern Negev region where an Israeli policeman and a Palestinian citizen of Israel were killed during a demonstration against the demolition of illegally-built homes in a Bedouin village. In addition to the pro forma condemnations routinely expressed against Israel, Erekat called for “urgent international intervention.” Simultaneously, a statement issued by the Palestinian Authority’s foreign ministry said the situation “calls for an international ethical wakening to punish Israel for its violations, and to end its occupation of Palestine.” In any event, the dynamics of the region’s diplomacy are expected to change on Friday when Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th American president. The Palestinian street is abuzz with conflicting opinions regarding the efficacy of Trump’s son-in-law heading-up efforts to broker a peace deal.