Livni: Gov't to blame for Palestinian UN bid

Opposition chairwoman says 'Israel's isolation directly related to government's conduct,' claims leadership drove PA to seek UN recognition

Neri Brener|Published: 09.15.11 , 20:52

Ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at the United Nations General Assembly, members of the Opposition accused the government Thursday of driving the Palestinians to seek UN recognition, urging the leaders to make tough decisions to rectify the situation.

"The Palestinians could have turned to the UN for years, but they didn't because they understood that we wanted to reach an agreement," Opposition Chairwoman Tzipi Linvi said. "But due to the lack of a dialogue, they are turning to the UN and submitting plans in various languages, only because the government continues to avoid making decisions.

"Israel's isolation happened for a reason," she continued. "It is directly related to the government's conduct. There has never been a time when we didn't have one Israeli ambassador in any Muslim nation in the world."

'We should withdraw from West Bank'

MK Avi Dichter of Kadima called on the government to replace what he called Israel's 'emotional interest' with a pragmatic one - namely, to withdraw from certain West Bank territories.

"To preserve Jewish settlement blocs in Judea and Samaria, we must withdraw from areas where we definitely won't want to be," he said.

"Even if the government fails to prevent unilateral recognition (of a Palestinian state) at the UN, the State of Israel cannot think in terms of punishing the Palestinians," he said. "A Palestinian state is a national Israeli interest, not less than it is a Palestinian one."

Netanyahu announced earlier that he will travel to New York City and address the UN General Assembly ahead of the vote on Palestinian statehood. His address has been set for next Wednesday.

The announcement was made shortly after Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki said that the Palestinian Authority will submit its application for full UN membership with the UN Security Council on Friday, September 23.