'Palestinian' chief
negotiator bottle washer Saeb Erekat (yes, I know, you thought he
resigned) has accused the United States Consulate in 'east' Jerusalem - also known as the
US embassy to the 'Palestinians' - of threatening the 'Palestinians' with 'punitive measures' if they do not drop their 'statehood bid' at the United Nations. The consulate
denies the charge.
The US Consulate in Jerusalem, meanwhile, denied that Consul-General Daniel Rubenstein had threatened "punitive measures" if the Palestinians went ahead with plans to upgrade their status at the UN.
PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat claimed last Friday that the consul made the threat during a meeting with him.
The consulate, in a statement, said that Erekat's account of the meeting in Jericho was "not an accurate portrayal of the US position." The statement said that Washington's position was to encourage a return to negotiations with Israel.
A spokeswoman for the consulate was quoted by the Maan news agency as saying that "initiatives throughout the UN will not bring about the two-state solution and enduring peace, which both the parties and the US seek."
She said that the US Administration continues to oppose initiatives by the Palestinians in the UN because "there is no substitute for serious and substantive negotiations between the parties, and that remains our focus."
Erekat had claimed after the meeting that Rubenstein threatened that the US would cut off aid to the Palestinians if they insisted on going to the UN.
On Saturday, Erekat repeated his claim, adding that the Americans have threatened to veto the PA statehood bid and cut off financial aid to the Palestinians.
Well, Congress has certainly told them that
it will cut off aid if they go to the UN. So what would be the big deal if the Consulate said the same thing?
posted by Carl in Jerusalem
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