PLO to Demand UN Security Council Recognize Palestine Within 1967 Borders

Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour speaks in a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters, December 8, 2017.Richard Drew/AP

The Palestine Liberation Organization’s Executive Committee decided Saturday night to demand that the UN Security Council recognize a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders.

The Palestinian leadership committee also decided to formulate a plan for disengaging from Israel, in terms of security and economics, including the agreements reached as part of the "Paris Protocol." 

Under the 1994 protocol, which established a customs union between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Israel is supposed to collect value-added tax, import duties and other taxes on the PA's behalf and hand them over on a monthly basis.

The committee also decided on Saturday that the Palestinian leadership would ask the International Criminal Court in The Hague to establish a commission to withdraw recognition of Israel as long as Israel does not recognize Palestine.
 
 
Last month, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on the European Union to recognize a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders during a joint press conference with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini in Brussels.

The Palestinian president said that recognizing Palestine will not be a barrier to peace and that “the only way to achieve peace with Israel is through internationally led negotiations.” 

Abbas added that the EU is among the main partners in building the institutions of a Palestinian state, and that the Palestinians will seek full implementation of UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions.

At the press conference, Mogherini reiterated the EU’s commitment to investing in the Palestinian state-building process, aiming to “reassure Palestinians and President Abbas of [the EU’s] continued support, including financial,” through UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.