Will Obama recognize Palestinian state?
As US President Barack Obama begins the lame duck segment of his administration, there are some who worry that the president will refrain from vetoing a French peace initiative, impose sanctions on people who do business in the settlements, or even recognize a Palestinian state.
According to Foundation for the Defense of Democracies Vice President Jonathan Schanzer, the White House try one more last ditch effort to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, making moves ranging from sanctioning US citizens who do business with Israeli settlements all the way to possibly recognizing a Palestinian state.
Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Schanzer said that the Obama administration’s first course of action might be to adopt a UN Security Council Resolution condemning the settlements.
Obama may also put forth a Security Council resolution calling for a Palestinian state, something which would create an uproar in the US Congress, and would only put wind in the sails of the global BDS movement.
However, in a move which would affect Israel most directly, Schanzer says that Obama may try and impose a final outline for an agreement via the UN Security Council.
The French Peace Initiative is still on the docket, and it could be that the Obama administration decides to abstain from vetoing the initiative when it comes up to vote. He also argued that the US could possible put forth its own initiative.
