Israel is involved in a massive propaganda drive to counter Palestinians’ UN bid (winning recognition for their state).
It is reported that secret cables have been sent to all Israeli embassies to exert maximum pressure on the countries they are in to thwart the international recognition of Palestinian state. Envoys are being ordered to lobby the highest possible officials in their countries of service, muster support from local Jewish communities, ply the media with articles arguing against recognition and even ask for a call or quick visit from a top official from Israel, if they think it would help. It is learned, in two weeks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman are planning to make separate trips to countries expected to vote in support of the Palestinian bid. They are expected to persuade them to vote against or at least to abstain. The goal set for the embassies is to have the maximum number of countries oppose the process of having the UN recognize a Palestinian state. The cable to the embassies states that their campaign should stress that “The Palestinian effort must be referred to as a process that erodes the legitimacy of the State of Israel.”
Israel is banking on the support from its usual sources, the US, Canada, Germany and Italy. It expects Sweden, Ireland, Belgium and Portugal to support the Palestinian state. However, an Israeli foreign ministry official has admitted that regardless of what efforts are made, only very few countries will vote in favor of Israel. His assessment is that most Asian, African and South American countries will support Palestinians. Israel is still trying to mislead the world that the Palestinian effort is aimed at delegitimizing Israel but on the contrary what the Palestinians are trying to do is to legitimize the existence of their own state.