It has been a rough time lately for Israel. A UN report found Israel’s effort last year to stop a flotilla of ships from reaching the Gaza Strip 'excessive and unreasonable' while Turkey has downgraded its relationship with Israel and the Arab spring has replaced some of Israel’s friends with potential enemies, most notably in Egypt where the Israeli embassy has been the target of demonstrations.
Things could get significantly worse for the Israeli Government after September 21st as the Palestinians seek full membership state representation at the United Nations.
The Palestinians have long sought to establish an independent, sovereign state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem - occupied by Israel since the 1967 Six Day War. However, decades of on-and-off peace talks have failed to produce a deal with the latest round of negotiations breaking down a year ago when Israel refused to stop building settlements on occupied Palestinian land.
The U.S. has pledged to veto any bid in the 15-member United Nations Security Council, however, they cannot veto the second vote in the 193-member General Assembly that would make Palestine a non-voting observer state at the world body. Not full membership but it would afford the Palestinian state entry to join many United Nations agencies and groups, most importantly the International Criminal Court, where it could take up the legal case against Israel for war crimes and challenge the settlement building in the occupied territories.
The Israeli and Americans claim that recognizing a Palestinian state would complicate the prospects of resuming peace talks is a piece of misdirection aimed to muddy the political waters as no peace process worth talking about exists to be revived.
The U.S. and Israel are continuing last-minute diplomacy to dissuade the Palestinians from seeking any form of action, even threatening to withdraw aid, while urging other countries not to support the measures but support for the Palestinians is very strong.
The Council needs nine votes out of 15 and no veto from any of its permanent members to pass a decision. However, the US has made clear it would wield its veto power so the vote would then go to the General Assembly where the Palestinians would require 129 votes from the 193 members. To date, 122 countries are said to be willing to vote in the Palestinians favour but the Palestinians are expected to easily pass the 129 figure on voting day.
The very real possibility that Palestine will be admitted to the UN, if only with observer status, puts America in a very difficult position.
If the U.S. does use its veto and appear to side with Israel over supporting the Palestinians chance of their own state, it will face major protests in a region where it is already treated with suspicion.
Saudi Arabia, a major American ally, has said the kingdom would ‘no longer be able to cooperate with America in the same way it historically has if it vetoes the bid for statehood. A veto could cause the U.S. to lose a key strategic ally. The special relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States would increasingly be seen as toxic'.
Israel have flaunted, ignored and defied many UN resolutions over the decades and have taken every opportunity to drag their feet over negotiations while they continue the land grab so Israeli arguments that 'Peace can only be achieved around the negotiating table' is yet another attempt at stalling any Palestinian state so Israel can maintain the status quo which suits them fine.
If there is any justice then the Palestinians will gain there UN Status and have the full weight of the International Courts in their corner in any future dealings with Israel who have shamefully been left alone for far too long to continue their outrageous treatment of the Palestinians and if America does side with Israel and use its Veto, then it’s already tattered reputation in an area where anti-American sentiment is never far below the surface, will deservedly sink to a new low.
4 comments:
Top article, Lucy. It's a shame that the U.S. has no shame where Israel is concerned. It has endlessly supported this shitty little, fascist nation no matter what it does.
And of course what it does is mirrored by the U.S., only on a much larger scale. Both are racist imperialists. Both love killing and destroying. Both think they are favored by some God or other and both are religiously deranged!
I just hope that Israel is not planning the final solution for the West Bank and Gaza so as to remove the Palestinians once and for all.
The Palestinians have now got a bigger friend than Israel and Israel are bleating. Let America veto it and let them be vilified and then let Palestine go to the General Assembly and gain access to the ICC and hammer Israel for decades of war crimes. Israel had its chance for talks and just used the time to build settlements so about time Israel was dragged back into line with the rest of the World. It isn't a special case, it is just a country with a succession of vile leaders who have got away with actual murder.
What do you see the Palestinians getting out of statehood? Justice? Land? Money? The words "freedom" and "liberty" are notably, and I think rightly, absent from your post.
The Palestinians aren't free, and getting a "state" won't make them free (at least under the post-16th century definition of "free"). Statehood won't bring the Palestinians political or individual liberty. Such a Palestine would just be another country on the long list of sad and pathetic despotates with brutally oppressive leaders who blather on endlessly about how great they are for "freeing" the country and protecting it from "imperialism."
The Palestinians deserve better, and the hawkish Israeli government ought to stop making their lives more miserable. Your are right to note that maintaining the status quo does not benefit the Palestinians. I'd also add that the status quo benefits nobody (including the Israelis). Things need to move forward. The Palestinians, for their own benefit, need to develop real political institutions that will engender a lasting appreciation for freedom; and then ought to be given lands and a state becoming of a free people.
But it would be foolish to think that drawing an autocracy on the map later this week will make the world a better place for anyone, including the Palestinians.
-Nog
What they will get is access to the International Courts and that is the only way they will get a shot at freedom, liberty and justice. As Anon said, they will have a bigger friend then Israel and that should scare Israel who have acted with impunity for decades. This is the first step which will lead to bigger steps further down the road.
I disagree that the status quo benefits nobody. The Israeli Government and Hamas would prefer things to stay as they are because then they can justify there hardline policies against each other. With peace the Israeli land grab and Hamas suicide bombers would stop while at the moment it is the only justification they both have.
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