As debate swirls on the ramifications and reality of a unilateral declaration of independence by the Palestinians, speculation and analysis revolves around how the United States should react to the move.
State Department spokesman Ian Kelly expressed support for a Palestinian state through negotiations, and not unilateral declarations. He said:
“We support the creation of a Palestinian state that is contiguous… the best way to achieve that is negotiation between two parties…
“We are convinced that has to be achieved through negotiations between two parties. We support a Palestinian state that arrives as a result of negotiations between two parties.”
In a statement, the State Department reaffirmed the sentiment, stating:
“It is our strong belief and conviction that the best means to achieve the common goal of a contiguous and viable Palestine is through negotiations between the parties. “
Ghassen Khatib, in an article for bitterlemons, blames the United States inability to forge a viable peace process for the resignation of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and he urges the U.S. administration to recognize an independent Palestinian state. As an example for the international community to recognize a unilateral declaration of independence, Khatib cites the creation of Israel. He writes:
“A unilateral Palestinian declaration of statehood, recognized and encouraged by the international community, could promote stability, end hostility and create a better atmosphere for these two states to negotiate the remaining aspects of their relations, such as solving the refugee issue and sorting out security arrangements and other aspects of bilateral relations. This would include the presence of Jewish settlers in the Palestinian state and their illegal use of sovereign Palestinian resources, such as land and water.”
Meanwhile, some ministers in the Israeli government threatened to annex areas of the West Bank in the event of a unilateral declaration of Palestinian independence, calls that could lead to a major party leaving the coalition government. Reportedly, Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau said:
“The first step: Israel will announce the annexation of all West Bank settlements and [Area C] zones to Israel, which Israel has a religious right to annex. This must be clear because Israel should respond promptly to any unilateral step by the Palestinians.”
Israeli Trade Minister Ben Eliezer, a member of the Labor party, rejected any calls for annexation and threatened his party would leave the Likud-led coalition, thereby forcing Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to forge an alliance with another party or potentially face a premature electoin. Eliezer also dismissed the veracity of either claim, that Israel would annex land and the Palestinians would unilaterally declare independence. He said:
“The Labor party cannot continue to sit in this government if it decides to annex settlement… In my opinion this whole thing about annexation is just words. I think the Palestinian threat also is just words. A ping-pong of declarations will get us nowhere, the only way forward is to bring the sides together for negotiations.”