Jerusalem expressed concern on Thursday that the Palestinian bid for UN recognition has become yet another nail in the peace process' coffin.
The Palestinian Authority officially launched its statehood campaign on Thursday morning, sending UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon a letter urging him to "exert all possible efforts towards the achievement of the Palestinians' just demands."
More on the Palestinian's UN campaign:
Defense Minister Ehud Barak urged the Palestinians to resume negotiations with Israel prior to the UN General Assembly meeting in mid September; while Minister of Information Yuli Edelstein said that "the funeral procession for the peace process has begun."
- Speaking at the annual Artillery Corps memorial service Barak urged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas "to return to the negotiating table sans any preconditions. We must try and reach a breakthrough together. We must achieve this for our children and our grandchildren."
Minister Edelstein, speaking at an international seminar dedicated to the global media's coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, was far less optimistic.
"A few hours ago the funeral procession for the peace process began and in two weeks, we will see the final nail being driven in to its coffin," he said.
"I can only hope something will go wrong because the Palestinians have to understand that unilateral moves can only lead to disaster."
A senior Jerusalem source told Ynet that with the Palestinians' move "peace is not further away. The Palestinians are burying it. The only way to achieve peace is through direct negotiations."
- Israel said that that Washington had admonished Ramallah for its move.
The United States announced that it will exercise its veto power in the UN Security Council in order to thwart the unilateral appeal, which Washington believes would deal the Israeli-Palestinian peace process a harsh blow.