Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is petitioning the United Nations for membership in 15 international conventions, a move that threatens peace talks that had been going on with Israel. Abbas had promised earlier to suspend petitioning for UN membership as a condition to continue the talks.
Secretary of State John Kerry cancelled his scheduled visit to the area to coordinate the mideast talks following Palestine’s move toward UN membership.
Palestine’s actions complicates the Obama Administration’s plan to create a framework of agreement between the nations reports CBN News.
The issue of United States prisoner Jonathan Pollard convicted of passing confidential information to Israel is another setback for mideast peace talks; the question of his release has divided Israelis.
The Israeli administration has already released many prisoners under the demands of the Palestinian government.
Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon said, We want to see Jonathan Pollard coming back home after 29 years in jail. But at the same time, we cannot accept this agreement. We cannot release hundreds of murderers who were convicted of murdering Jewish people.”
Palestine’s administration has said that they have not given up on the talks, but Israel fears that Palestine will bring its problems with Israel in the UN.
