What Kind of Palestinian State? - Ron Prosor (Wall Street Journal Europe)

• For more than a year, PA President Mahmoud Abbas has attempted to bypass peace negotiations with Israel by unilaterally seeking state recognition at the UN.
• Exactly what kind of state will the UN General Assembly be voting for?
  • A state with no control over its territory. The PA has zero authority in Gaza today.
  • A terrorist state. States recognized by the UN must pledge to be "peace-loving." This month, Hamas showed its commitment to peace in Gaza by firing more than 1,200 rockets into Israeli cities.
  • An undemocratic state. Hamas has imposed brutal tyranny in Gaza. In the West Bank, President Abbas' mandate to rule expired three years ago. His government continues to jail and torture journalists, bloggers and activists.
  • A bankrupt state. PA institutions remain completely dependent on foreign aid. Yet this year, the PA tripled payments to convicted terrorists.
• Israel is urging the Palestinian leadership to work with us to forge constructive solutions at the negotiating table. When the foundations for lasting peace are in place, Israel will be the first to welcome Palestinians to the UN.
  
  The writer is Israel's ambassador to the UN.