Ashrawi: US influence depends on ending deferral to Israel

PLO Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi told US diplomats on Wednesday that Washington should stop submitting to Israeli policies if it wants to regain influence amongst Palestinian people and leaders. Ashrawi told the political chief of the US consulate to Jerusalem Rick Waters that the Palestinian leadership was "keeping all its options open" regarding Palestine's UN membership bid, a PLO Executive Committee statement said. The US opposes the PLO's move for full membership of the UN, and has vowed to veto the bid at the Security Council. But Ashrawi insisted Wednesday: "It is essential that Palestinians explore various constructive alternatives to the failed 'peace process.'" Palestinian leaders stress they cannot return to talks with Israel, which the US and international community is pushing for, without a halt on Israeli's settlement building on lands needed for a future Palestinian state. The last round of direct talks collapsed in weeks in September 2010 when Israel failed to renew a freeze on settlement construction. Ashrawi reiterated the PLO stance in her meeting with Waters, the statement said. She called on the US to put "serious pressure" on Israel to abide by international law. "The only way to restore US-Palestinian relations and to influence Palestinian public opinion is to end America’s acquiescence to Israeli policies," she added. Ashrawi also met with female Christian leaders from the US, the statement added. "Palestinians cannot move forward with negotiations when they have been counterproductive for the past twenty years. It is essential that members of the international community support Palestinian initiatives to seek membership at the UN," she told them.