Palestine’s full UN membership bid greater threat than Hamas: Israeli minister

Steinitz said Israel is unquestionably opposed to the Palestinian move,which Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s government has often called a unilateral action that undermines the peace process.

The minister also said it was out of anyone’s power to stop Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas from making his bid at the UN opening session on September 20.

This sentiment echoed Defense Minister Ehud Barak,who told EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton earlier this week that officials were beginning to work on influencing the wording of the Palestinian petition.

Steinitz,however,took a less conciliatory tone.

This is a Palestinian attempt to get a state without giving anything to Israel in return,without peace,without security,and without giving up on the demand to return (Palestinian) refugees (to Israel), he said.

Abbas has said that he would not give up on the right of return for refugees,despite some legal experts saying refugee status would be affected by UN state recognition,and the PLO would continue to function until all Palestinian issues were resolved,including the case of the refugees.

The Palestinian Authority,he said,is a part of the PLO and not a separate body,and the PLO represents all Palestinians all over the world.

The Palestinians are to formally submit their request for membership next month when world leaders begin gathering in New York for the 66th session of the General Assembly.

The decision comes after direct peace talks with Israel stalled late last year over Jewish settlement construction on occupied Palestinian land.