The Palestinian Authority’s Big Mistake

By Carolyn McCarthy

Recent events in the Middle East and North Africa have once again focused our nation’s attention to security concerns that plague our staunch ally Israel.

From an assault of an Israeli bus near Eliat to a mob attacking the Israeli embassy in Cairo, militants have become increasing hostile in challenging Israel and its people. The global community must not sit idly and observe challenges to the legal blockade of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank border.

Perhaps most significantly, our nation must be active in denying the Palestinian Authority’s attempt to subvert the peace process by seeking a unilateral declaration of statehood at the United Nations. The Palestinian Authority’s attempts to seek unilateral recognition is a big mistake and I’m working to get my colleagues in Congress to see it that way as well.

In these troublesome times, Israel’s friends and allies must recommit themselves to her side. And that is exactly what I have done.  Last week, I was a Congressional signer of a petition sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) that urged the international community to oppose a unilaterally declared Palestinian state. This petition made clear my belief that a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state would not only be counterproductive, but also would violate existing and agreed upon international frameworks for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

I also worked successfully to pass H.Res. 268, a resolution I proudly cosponsored that expressed strong support for Israel. This legislation, which passed on July 7, 2011, states my firm belief that any Palestinian unity government must publicly and formally forswear terrorism, accept Israel’s right to exist, and reaffirm previous agreements made with Israel. The legislation also reaffirms the fact that Palestinian efforts to circumvent direct negotiations and pursue recognition of statehood prior to agreement with Israel will harm United States-Palestinian relations and will have serious implications for United States assistance to the Palestinians.

I remain disappointed in President Barack Obama’s suggestion that Israel should accept pre-1967 borders as a starting point for negotiations. This proposal is a slap in the face to Israel, flies in the face of logic, and would significantly diminish Israel’s safety. In fact, it probably helped create the atmosphere that empowered the Palestinian Authority to pursue its unproductive and antagonistic search for unilateral statehood in the U.N.

I believe that it’s irresponsible of the President to ask our most reliable and important ally in the region to potentially cede territories while ignoring increasingly dangerous threats to its security