As nations gather this month at the United Nations, the Palestinian question has once again top the agenda. For many years, Palestine has enjoyed the status of an Observer at the United nation, sitting along side the Vatican and Non-Governmental Organizations in the UN General Assembly. However, it does not have a permanent seat or recognized as a full member state.
This time, its leadership in collaboration with many UN member states in the General Assembly, has decided to push for a permanent recognition and a statehood based on the 1967 border. The issue on people´s mind is whether the UN will ever recognize such move without collaboration with Israel and sanction by the UN Security Council. Already, the United states has indicated it would veto any attempt by Palestine to declare independence unilaterally without negotiation with the state of Israel.
According to the Palestinian leader Mr. Abbas:”We are going to the United Nations to demand a statehood.” However, such a statement may lack enforcement or any effect if not supported by the UN Security Council the only organ that has the power to approve such move by any member state. Nonetheless, it is notable that the issue of Palestinian statehood has dragged-on for too long. It is obvious there is no strong will among UN member states to grant Palestine a permanent seat at the United Nations.
Though, majority of the member states in the UN General Assembly support a statehood for Palestine, the Security Council spearheaded by the United States, is divided over the issue so, where does the United States actually stand? US Secretary of States Hillary Clinton said: “The only way of getting a lasting solution is through a negotiation between both parties not through New York.” Considering such statement, it is important to note that negotiations has gone on for decades and both sides never agreed to a lasting solution.
As long as both sides continue their culture of stubbornness, the Palestinian issue will never be resolved; many will continue to die over the same issue.
Palestine should recognize Israel as a state with guarantee of security; Israel on the other hand should grant statehood to Palestine and stop building more settlements. The United States need act as a neutral party and let the world know its real position on the issue.
It is time to end the culture of negotiations that has no effect; the Palestinian question must be resolved to establish a lasting peace in the Middle East or else, Israel may become marginalized and completely isolated in the region.
We are now seeing a new wave of dislike for Israel in nations with whom Israel enjoyed relations in the past; Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan are becoming new generation of nations to express disgust for Israel so, when does the animosity end? It is high time Western nations realized that to establish a lasting peace in the Middle East and to end the development of a new breed of terror, the Palestinian question must be resolved once and for all.
The United States in collaboration with other nations has the power to do this but only if it is willing and has the strong will to achieve that end.
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Categories: Humanitarian, Politics
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