Prime Minister Yair Lapid addressed a letter on Monday to more than 50 heads of state, in which he calls on them to exert their influence over the Palestinian Authority in order to prevent the vote in the UN Assembly to request an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: "I urge your country to exercise your influence on the Palestinian Authority so that they refrain from promoting this dangerous move at the General Assembly," it reads.
In the letter, Lapid also stated that "This resolution is the outcome of a concerted effort to single out Israel, to discredit our legitimate security concerns, and to delegitimize our very existence."
"If the Palestinians continue to ignore these requests," it continues, "and this resolution is brought to a vote in December, I hope and expect that your country will vote against it and voice your clear concerns regarding its dangerous ramifications. At times like this, we look to our friends to stand with us."
In addition, Lapid explains that the status of disputed territory will be subject to direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, and that bringing the matter before the ICJ "contravenes the principle of direct negotiations accepted by Israel, the Palestinians and the international community."
Among others, the letter was sent to the heads of Great Britain, France, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Latvia, Georgia, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru and Vietnam.
Despite the outgoing prime minister's efforts, a senior Israeli official warned there is little chance of stopping the Palestinian move at the UN. "Israel should treat the initiative as if it had already been approved," he said.
At the beginning of this month, a UN committee approved a Palestinian Authority resolution that asks the United Nations to seek a legal opinion from the International Court of Justice in The Hague on two issues. One is Israel’s ongoing violation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. The other is how the ongoing occupation of the West Bank should affect its legal status as occupied territory and the international community’s treatment of Israel.