JERUSALEM, June 11 (UPI) -- Three former senior Israeli diplomats said Saturday they recommend Israel recognize Palestinians' right to their own state, with qualifications.
"We must say 'yes' to a Palestinian state, but set the conditions," Professor Ruby Seibel, a former legal adviser to the Foreign Ministry and an international law expert, told Ynetnews.
"I think the approach of the government is a mistake. There is no point in struggling against recognition. There is almost an international consensus in support of the establishment of a Palestinian state.
"If [the Palestinians] declare the establishment of a state -- almost everyone will recognize them, and this will be reflected in the General Assembly."
Avi Primor, former ambassador to the European Union and Germany, said if a vote on the Palestinian state issue comes up at the U.N. General Assembly in September, Israel should abstain but later recognize the Palestinian state, Ynetnews said.
"If [the vote] takes place we must declare that we recognize a Palestinian state, but within temporary borders," he said.
Primor criticized the government, saying its stance precludes the Palestinians from engaging in meaningful negotiations on a peace agreement.
"The Palestinians want to negotiate with us, so why aren't they coming? Because they have all the reasons in the world to believe that we're not truly committed to negotiations, but rather want to drag our feet and alleviate international pressure, without achieving any results," he said.
Moshe Arad, a former Israeli ambassador to the United States, agrees Israel should recognize the Palestinian state with qualifications.
"I don't see another option other than presenting a political initiative with the cooperation of the United States on the basis of 1967 borders, with necessary changes," he said.
