Prominent Israeli figures urge Europe to recognize Palestinian state

More than a dozen Israeli intellectuals and public figures have signed a letter urging European leaders to officially recognize a Palestinian State, as "the peace process has reached its end."

The letter, which will be sent to the leaders on Friday, was initiated by the leftist Sheikh Jarrah Solidarity Movement, the group which also organizes the weekly demonstrations in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah.

"Peace has fallen hostage to the peace process," the letter said. "As Israeli citizens, we announce that if and when the Palestinian people declare independence of a sovereign state that will exist next to Israel in peace and security, we will support such the announcement of the Palestinian State with borders based on the 1967 lines, with needed land swaps on a 1:1 basis."

"We urge the countries of the world to declare their willingness to recognize a sovereign Palestinian State according to these principles," the letter added.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/prominent-israeli-figures-urge-europe-to-recognize-palestinian-state-1.364361

“Hamas still hasn’t recognized Israel’s right to exist and renounce violence, and recognize that negotiations are the right path for solving this problem,” Obama said. “And it’s very difficult for Israel in a realistic way to say we’re going to sit across the table from somebody who denies our right to exist. And so that’s an issue that the Palestinians are going to have to resolve…. I also believe that the notion that you can solve this problem in the United Nations is simply unrealistic.”

Including the parts about land swaps. As did the ADL.

I thought what he said was the vanilla speech on the subject, and I pretty much approved of it too. But the point was to not be selective if you want to use him as an authority, and you seem to be OK there.

So he disagress with these prominent Israelis. I will compare and contrast.

WRT the OP, and the UN declaring a Palestinian State, or however one wants to put it, I don't know what that would do or not do, it could be a tempest in a teapot, Obama could be right, or it could prove to be a big deal, I don't think the effect is all that predictable. But I think from a Palestinian point-of-view, they got nothing much to lose by trying it. And it is noticeable that various parties seem anxious nonetheless to try to prevent this useless action by the UN, which does useless pro-Palestinian things all the time without arousing such a fuss.

I was most pleased to be able to agree with Mr Foxman for a change, next thing you know Dershowitz will say something I like and I'll collapse in a puddle for a week.