What is a state? What makes it go? What makes a state hot? Or failed?
All the cool kids know the so wise he be nom d'guerr'd twice - the Abbas/Mazen cat ruling the Wester portions of election free something something Palestine plans to lay it out to play out at the shiny shiny UN HQ for a brand new baby nation state (most likely 2 brand new baby nation states) to get all recogged by the ever popular internat'l community.
Palestine they calls it.GsGf's Palestine expert exclusively shares that:
In seeking recognition as a state at the UN, the Palestinians don't expect much to change on the ground Courtney, nor have they abandoned negotiations as the real route to achieve self-determination. Rather, the move reflects growing concern that the current Netanyahu government in Israel is not genuinely committed to seeing the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state, and certainly not one based on the 1967 borders (with land swaps)—the basis for all previous Israeli-Palestinian negotiation since 2000. Consequently, the Palestinians are hoping to pin down the principle more firmly by embedding it in a strong international consensus.
By going to the UN the Palestinians are also signalling a profound lack of confidence in the Obama Administration's handling of the peace process. Indeed, the intense lobbying by the Administration against the move is somewhat ironic, given that the UN would be largely endorsing US policy (Palestinian statehood, based on the 1967 borders).
Abbas' move, if successful, would also have the additional benefit of strengthening his leadership while weakening the political position of Hamas.
Actually, there is a lot to be said for such a maneuver. After all the Strip was abandoned by their colonial masters in Aegypt eons past and Ramallahland was cut loose from the illegal Hashemite annexation by Jordan way back in the last millennium.
While it's easy to get all futurelicious with righteous quizes about what exactly Future Palestine might look like, the diplopolititary chicanery indulged in by West Palestine charm schooled Fatah leader is more like a fakebelive phantasy:
Most likely, therefore, the P.A. will seek a U.N. General Assembly vote, perhaps recognizing the P.A.’s “statehood,” or perhaps changing its U.N. status from “observer organization” to “observer state.” Given the General Assembly’s political layout, any such resolution, no matter how worded, will pass overwhelmingly.
But what exactly will that mean? Many in Little Satan and America are panicked at the prospect of “Palestine” being declared a “state,” even if merely an “observer.” Little Satan's officials will be hauled before the International Criminal Court (“ICC”) for prosecution, they say, “Palestine” will suddenly assume control over its air space and waters adjacent to Gaza, they say, impairing Little Satan’s self-defense. And on and on and on, they say.
This is all nonsense. The only practical result of the General Assemble declaring “Palestine” a state will be to move its chair on the side of the Assembly hall a few feet from its present location to be next to the Vatican, the only other “observer state.” This is nothing to get excited about.
The PA’s ill-advised U.N. stratagem will not improve the chances for ME peace, it will not truly enhance the PA’s status, and it will not improve living conditions for average Palestinians. This entire episode is fantasy, and should be so regarded, whatever happens on First Avenue.
I will refrain from my standard just who are the Palestinians argument. Another very troubling aspect of Palestinian statehood is the legal precedent it will create for international law. What next, the Native Americans asking the U.N. to declare. a nation state in Oklahoma? Perhaps RAZA asking the U.N. to demand the return of California, etc to Mexico? Perhaps the U.N. could demand a return to Pre WW I borders throughout Europe?
ReplyDeleteThe Fakistinians are just that Fakes. There is a Fakistinian nation, it is called Jordan. They should be forced to go there.
ReplyDeleteI think any new state or new member of the U.N. (or any future international organization) needs to prove that it's promoting peace, anti-terror, and strongly in favor of protecting human rights for all people.
ReplyDeleteFindalis - The notion of Palestinian identity certainly grew stronger after 1917, after 1948, and was pretty well established by 1967. Heck, one of the major Arab newspapers of the time was called Falastin, established in Jaffa in 1911.
ReplyDeleteIt is also completely irrelevant, since the principle of self-determination doesn't hinge on the label a population applies to itself (good thing too, because "Canadian" and "American" don't exactly have precolonial lineages).
Serious folks (as opposed to polemicists) recognize that there were multiple forced displacements during and after 1947-49. Since it is widely agreed (even by Israeli negotiators) that Palestinians were forcibly displaced, and widely agreed (even by Palestinian negotiators) that Jews were forcibly displaced I don't see the point in creating an artificial debate about it.
The Jerusalem Post used to be called the Palestine Post. So what's your point?
ReplyDelete