Israel warns of severe response to Palestinian UN statehood bid

Three Israeli cabinet ministers sharply commented on the Palestinian National Authority's (PNA) plan to turn to the United Nations in order to gain non-member status at an upcoming UN General Assembly session, local media reported. Over the weekend, Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz threatened to impose sharp economic measures against the PNA if Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas makes good on the move. Abbas on Sunday said he expected that the Arab League would petition the world body within 48 hours on the PNA's behalf in order to put the Palestinian plan into motion. However, "As far as I'm concerned, if the Palestinians continue to try for a unilateral bid, we will not economically cooperate with them," Steinitz said on Saturday. "It's scandalous that they strike out at us and afterwards expect us to cooperate economically," Steinitz said in a statement sent to Xinhua on Sunday. "My opinion is very unequivocal, and I say it as a finance minister." Meanwhile, Israeli Home Front Defense Minister Avi Dichter on Sunday said the PNA was using the UN bid as a ploy to avoid dealing with the latest eruption in rocket strikes against Israeli civilian and a spike in ambushes against soldiers. Speaking with Army radio, Dichter contended that "The Palestinian move at the UN is being done while entirely ignoring the situation in Gaza," saying that Abbas had not mentioned "a single word about terror from Gaza." Also speaking with Army radio, in a separate interview on Sunday, Minister of Strategic Affairs Moshe Ya'alon warned that " The world needs to understand that Israel won't just sit by... We' re ready to heighten our response," echoing remarks by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the weekly cabinet session. "The IDF is acting, and will act, with force in Gaza," Netanyahu said in comments.