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Press TV has conducted an interview with Paul Larudee, Free Palestine Movement, Berkeley about the Palestinian Authority seeking membership in numerous international bodies and threats from Israel.  

Press TV: Why do you think Israel is so opposed for the Palestinian Authority to join these UN and international agreements specifically considering that Israel claims to be dedicated to the ‘two-state solution’ and to the so-called peace talks?

Larudee: Israel is dedicated to the elimination of everything Palestinian. So, the idea of a Palestinian entity belonging to United Nations organizations is not part of its plan.

This is in effect a form of resistance you could say on the part of the Palestinians coming from an entity from which we are not very accustomed to seeing resistance. But clearly this is what’s happening.

Israel sees no benefit in the Palestinians having more standing in other bodies and with other nations and it doesn’t like a kind of strength growing for Palestinians even if it’s only diplomatic strength.

Press TV: Speaking of this diplomatic strength, what does it do for the Palestinians though? There are many who say international bodies like the UN have failed Palestinians time and again; and they are in the pockets of the US.

Larudee: There is no question about that. And there is no assurance that this will bring any benefits, but it does open the possibility of what has sometimes been called ‘lawfare’ - that is the use of law for the purpose of curbing the excesses of rogue nations like Israel and holding them accountable.

Israel has had very little accountability in international circles and this might be an opportunity to get some accountability, which will allow nations that might be sitting on the fence or that might otherwise not be motivated to take actions against Israel such as sanctions and so forth.

Maybe it will give them just the edge necessary to do that.