Quds/Ramallah, November 16, SPA -- Palestinian Authority officials claimed Monday they were getting close to a declaration of unilateral independence, despite Israeli warnings that such a move would not earn international recognition, reported the dpa. Palestinians are getting ready to ask the UN Security Council to recognize a Palestinian state in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told reporters in Ramallah Monday. "The move to issue a Security Council resolution recognizing the Palestinian state on the borders of June 4, 1967 has begun," he said. He also said the Palestinian Authority has called on the European Union "to back the Palestinian decision by expressing its commitment to international law to end the Israeli occupation and save the two- state solution." His comments came after Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Monday said such a declaration would not succeed and would not be ratified by the UN Security Council. Echoing remarks by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Sunday night, Lieberman told parliament"s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee that any Palestinian unilateral independence declaration would breech agreements the Palestinian Authority (PA) signed with Israel and would thus nullify Israel"s obligations under the same accords. Those comments, were in turn, prompted by statements Erekat had made on Sunday. Erekat criticized Israel"s threats to the Palestinians if they declare unilateral independence describing Israel"s actions in the Palestinian territories as "unilateral." "Israel today maintains its military occupation by siege, causing untold human suffering through its policy of collective punishment," he said. "We are now facing a moment of truth," he said. "We will seek to pass this Security Council resolution and the activation of the Fourth Geneva Convention to protect the Palestinian people." Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, also criticized Monday the Israeli response saying "it shows Israel does not want peace or an independent Palestinian state." He said "Israel has started unilateral steps long time ago and the settlements are the best example of this." --SPA
