Time and again, Palestinian leaders have rejected offers of statehood, and Mahmoud Abbas is no different. To avoid having to make any concessions of his own, he is now trying to achieve recognition of a Palestinian state through international institutions. According to Dennis Ross, his European enablers must make it clear that there will be political costs for this behavior:
Palestinian political culture is rooted in a narrative of injustice; its anti-colonialist bent and its deep sense of grievance treat concessions to Israel as illegitimate. Compromise is portrayed as betrayal, and negotiations—which are by definition about mutual concessions—will inevitably force any Palestinian leader to challenge his people by making a politically costly decision.
But going to the United Nations does no such thing. It puts pressure on Israel and requires nothing of the Palestinians. Resolutions are typically about what Israel must do and what Palestinians should get. If saying yes is costly and doing nothing isn’t, why should we expect the Palestinians to change course? That’s why European leaders who fervently support Palestinian statehood must focus on how to raise the cost of saying no or not acting at all when there is an offer on the table. Palestinians care deeply about international support for their cause. If they knew they would be held accountable for being nonresponsive or rejecting a fair offer or resolution, it could well change their calculus.
More about: Europe and Israel, Mahmoud Abbas, Oslo Accords, Palestinian statehood, Peace Process, United Nations