Palestinians relentless in push for U.N. membership

Not only should Palestine be recognised, but Israel should face justice and recognise peace.

what dimwitted people! there're recognize Israel as state but reluctant to recognise Palestine as nation. Palestinian living at there hundred years before these Zionist jewish immigrant came to their land.

I think people are more worried about what the Palestinians will do with membership and if it will have a positive or negative impact on the overall peace process. If there is a comprehensive peace deal in place first then it's a slam dunk, but if they use the membership as a way to go around direct negotiations and simply attack israel then it makes a lasting, comprehensive deal less likely.

Relentlessly?? Wow, talk about biased reporting.

Give them recognition. And yes, Israel should face justice - for their crimes against humanity, stealing of land...

Not only should Palestine be recognised, but Israel should face justice and recognise peace.

Not only has Israel already recognized Palestine, but they have recognized and made peace with other nations.

The same cannot be said for Hamas though, can it?

for their crimes against humanity, stealing of land...

Speaking of bias, both sides have acted irresponsibly at times and Israel now occupies less of the occupied territories, not more.

It's no wonder the Palestinians don't make peace with Israel. They have so many cheerleaders pushing them away from peace.

I would have thought that "Hamas' is not all of the Palestinian people.

And ,If I may use an analogous example;most members of the IRA were no doubt Irish , yet, Ireland was recognized by the EU and also a full member -the fact that some Irish were militant and involved in armed struggle surely did not mean that the majority of the Irish peopleshould have been forced to suffer and to live as second class citizens with limited legal rights,did it? This is why it would be counter productive to limit Palestine's recognition by the UN.

Hamas is a social organisation trying to assist and protect their families in the worlds largest concentration camp, so don't scream "terrorist". And regarding the vote, I see the good old USA is offering lucrative aide bribes to Bosnia and Portugal if they vote against, and also possibly bribes to Nigeria and Gabon. Israel is threatened to unleash vicious punishment on the Palestinians if they don't submit. All the Palastinians want is a slice of their country back and to live in peace.

Isn't Hamas against the UN plan?

I would have thought that "Hamas' is not all of the Palestinian people.

They are the elected government of the Palestinian people. They completely control Gaza. They do not want peace with Israel. Kind of hard to get around that, don't you think?

so don't scream "terrorist".

The word fits. They act exactly like terrorists.You know this. Just because you support their actions does not change this.

Israel is threatened to unleash vicious punishment on the Palestinians if they don't submit.

They have done no such thing. You know this.

All the Palastinians want is a slice of their country back and to live in peace.

Hamas does not want this. You know this. They cannot be ignored. It is unrealistic. I am sure even Abbas realizes this.

SuperLib,

Yes, they are. The fact that something this obvious is being ignored would be funny if it were not so sad.

Probably the UN would recognize Palestine and Taiwan. They both have their own elected governments and pretty much run their own countries.

this enourmous reasons why they must recognize Palestine:

If the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, does not go ahead with the application at the UN on Friday, demonstrations in support of the initiative could turn into a new intifada of violent confrontation with Israel.

It is a mood that could easily spread across a region made newly sensitive to calls for self-determination by the revolutions of the Arab Spring. To abandon the initiative now could also provoke uproar among Muslims worldwide, threaten regional stability and even increase the risk of another war. And there are already signs of wider ramifications, with hints of anti-American defiance from Saudi Arabia as the long-time Washington ally this week offered the Palestinian Authority $200m to ease its liquidity problems.

From The Independent http://ind.pn/oAdsLE

The whole thing is pretty much a circus. I really don't even understand what Abbas really represents anymore. He's going to ask for statehood when he's at war with Hamas, a group that technically controls a portion of the government that is about to be voted on by the UN, and a group that won't accept the UN vote anyway. That idiot Netanyahu is going to make some stupid speech that will sound entirely reasonable if you ignore the fact that the man simply won't stop building on Palestinian land. Europeans, who have spent extreme time and effort trying to stop the vote will stand up and support the Palestinians publicly when their name is called because they're spineless.

In the end all of the crazy nutjobs and spineless wimps will get what they want while it will all be dumped on Obama's lap. Even Republicans are probably lining up to slam Obama right after the veto takes place even though they would do the same exact thing. People who have actually worked to create a solution to the problem will take it up the ass for a while and watch the greedy little hands take a piece of the political pie.

@Ben_Jackinoff-I stick with the contention that Hamas does not garner support from all the Palestinian people. There are seats held by non Hamas representatives. However ,that is not the core issue is it? History has shown that organisations may have a political wing and a militant one AND yet still find peace eg Sinn Fein and the IRA was an example of this-the same is true of Hamas,is it not? Also, many times have the Palestinians been ready to concede land,rights and more for a Palestinian state but Israel has withdrawn from talks.Same with the PLO when Arafat was its leader. Basically, Israel fails to live up to UN resolutions and rulings going way back to the 1960s!

Where is Palestine to find an ear?-not in the state of Israel-that is an historical fact!

Spineless?

Super?

Couldn't the veto wielding, democracy stifling US be seen in a similar vein?

I've never understood your antimosity towards us Euros. I think many people here are simply sick of Israel and it's comportment. You've already said the bonehead governance of Netanyahu leaves no room for negotiation yet you're lashing out at Abbas who is only credible chance at peace on the Palestinian side.

Palestinian statehood is in stalemate and it's a one way street for the Jewish state who lets face it, hold more or less all the cards and a US veto by proxy. Perhaps a bone will be thrown to avert this situation, but I doubt it. I understand moderate palestinians continued frustration. I think even you do.

the same is true of Hamas,is it not

No. It is not. Fatah and Hamas are not branches of the same political movement. They do not agree on policy. Your comparison does not work.

Also, many times have the Palestinians been ready to concede land,rights and more for a Palestinian state but Israel has withdrawn from talks.

Actually, quite the opposite. I am getting the idea you probably already know this. In Hamas' case, they do not want peace with Israel and do not want talks leading to it.

Same with the PLO when Arafat was its leader.

Incorrect. Again, it was the opposite of this. Arafat walked away.

Basically, Israel fails to live up to UN resolutions and rulings going way back to the 1960s!

Basically, no. Resolutions regarding the occupied territories speak to land for peace. The Palestinians have broken many agreements. Why is it you are ignoring this fact?

Where is Palestine to find an ear?-not in the state of Israel-that is an historical fact!

No, that is historical fiction. I can understand support for an independent Palestine. I cannot understand creating fiction to support the argument. In fact, such fiction only makes things harder to discuss.

Couldn't the veto wielding, democracy stifling US be seen in a similar vein?

Normally, yes. However, in this case, even Abbas admits the vote will do nothing on the ground for the Palestinians. Fatah and Israel need to team up, smash Hamas and negotiate for peace. However, for various reasons, neither has the stomach for this.

@Ben_Jackinoff

Incorrect. Again, it was the opposite of this. Arafat walked away. ** No there was an impasse -actually, both sides felt they had failed to realize objectives

But.....even the Israeli group Gush Shalom criticised the Iraeli's government's offer**

No there was an impasse -actually, both sides felt they had failed to realize objectives

No, incorrect again. Barak and Clinton were willing to continue. Arafat left.

But.....even the Israeli group Gush Shalom criticised the Iraeli's government's offer

Is this supposed to mean something significant? There are lots of opinons in Israel, just as there are all over the world. Any government has at least some opposition. That does not somehow mean that this little fringe group somehow was correct. However, the point is that Arafat left the table. Barak and Clinton were indeed willing to keep talking. Things have gone down hill from there, especially for the Palestinians.