How the United States treats the Palestinians’ new status as a non-member state at the United Nations depends on how Palestinians plan to use it – as cudgel or outstretched hand. Beneath the outcries of disappointment at the lopsided U.N. vote, both the United States and Israel showed signs of acquiescence to its inevitability. There…
“We lost Europe,” was the way one Foreign Ministry official put Thursday morning when Germany announced it would abstain on Palestinian non-member observer state status, rather than vote against it. Indeed, twelve European Union member states elected to abstain altogether — including the United Kingdom, Poland, and the Netherlands — while fourteen voted in favor,…
The cheering delegates clapping at the United Nations General Assembly hall, the Palestinian flag pulled out and waved and that unusual smile on the face of Mahmoud Abbas, provided the Palestinian Authority with its long awaited and ever so rare moment of victory. As the General Assembly approved on Thursday, with an overwhelming majority of…
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee called for a “full review” of the U.S. relationship with the Palestine Liberation Organization, including shutting its Washington office, in the wake of its obtaining non-member state status at the United Nations. “In requesting this action, PLO Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is effectively turning his back on talks with Israel…
The U.N. General Assembly’s overwhelming vote to recognize Palestine as a non-member state offers little prospect for greater clout in world politics but it could make a difference in the international courts. The formal recognition of statehood, even without full U.N. membership, could be enough for the Palestinians to achieve membership at the Hague-based International…
A U.N. General Assembly vote on Thursday recognising a Palestinian state will do nothing to make it a reality, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Israel had fiercely opposed the Palestinian bid to become a “non-member state” at the United Nations, but had been unable to prevent wide international support for the initiative, notably among…
The 193-nation U.N. General Assembly on Thursday overwhelmingly approved the de facto recognition of a sovereign Palestinian state after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on the world body to issue its long overdue “birth certificate.” There were 138 votes in favor, nine against and 41 abstentions. Three countries did not take part in the vote…
The Palestinian Authority is expected to win an upgrade of its observer status at the United Nations on Thursday from “entity” to “non-member state,” which would amount to implicit U.N. recognition of the sovereign state of Palestine. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has been leading the campaign to win support for a U.N. General Assembly resolution…
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