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© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.U.N. votes to recognize state of Palestine
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SuperLib
If Abbas takes Israel to the ICC, things are going to get very messy. We'll see what happens.
YGHome3
The vulgar American representative in the UN general assembly objected the Palestinian bid, arguing that America favors negotiation without preconditions. Negotiation without preconditions, according to America, means that the stronger side is free to expand territorially, build new settlements and cleanse the newly conquered territories from the other population. America is a long time expert in this kind of practice.
some14some
too early (Fetus) for US and Israel.
nostromo
the next step is to return the land that was originally taken from them in 1947...
Tamarama
Hopefully this is a start to full statehood.
Shame on the US. How can they bleat about supporting the peace process in this region whilst doing this?
Incedentally, I notice that some of the countries that joined the US and Israel in voting against the resolution include Nauru, Pulau and Micronesia....hmmm.
SuperLib
You know why they are against it. If you have a problem with the reasons, then give it a go. But don't pretend you don't know the argument the other side is giving, including the UK, Germany, and a lot of others.
hidingout
Meaning what exactly? That you consider those countries insignificant? Corrupt? Bought and paid for? What do you have to say about the fact that Canada (surely a leading democracy and champion of human rights) voted no?
Not sure why this is news anyway. The Palestinians declared their state in 1988 and have had embassies in many countries around the world since that time. In fact the long time chief negotiator for the Palestinians is on record as stating that recognition by the UN has no significance.
SushiSake3
Wow, USGOV and terrorist Israel govt aren't going to like this.
Good news.
Tamarama
Disappointed.
nath
No neighboring countries want to take any Palestinians in as refuges. Why? Tells you something doesn't it.
Long live Israel and stay strong. If they fire their little home made rockets at you, hit them back hard.
I agree with the US stance on this.
BoredToTears
Awesome! So now that the UN recognizes "Palestine" as a state, anything this state does they should be held accountable for. When the next rocket that launches towards Israel is an official declaration of war, and should be dealt with with to the full extent of Israels ablility. WITH the UN's blessing and support!
herefornow
Good. As a U.S. citizen I have long thought that U.S. Mid-east policy was much too skewed to Israel, for the obvious domestic political reasons. And, rightly or not, has put a target on the U.S. among many Islamic groups. High time to balance things out a little. I mean Israel thumbed their nose at Obama and Clinton on the setllement issue, which is one of the biggest obstacles to a peace agreement. And then Netanyahu gets up in front of the U.N. a few weeks back with his silly cartoon-version of a bomb, and says it is time to draw a red line with regards to Iran. An obvious slap in the face to Obama. We don't owe them any kind of unquestioned support any more.
nath
Will make no difference. They go from being terrorists to a terrorist stae and the Israeli occupiers won't give bac1 centimeter of land. Puzzles me how a 2 state solution os felt to be ok for Palestinians but when tried in South Africa was called Apartheid and villified.
skipbeat
<The resolution upgrading the Palestinians’ status to a nonmember observer state at the United Nations was approved by a more than two-thirds majority of the 193-member world body — a vote of 138-9, with 41 abstentions.
One sigificant point is that the USA have lost her influences in the world stage.
Star-viking
Good news from the Middle East!
Alphaape
I agree 100%! If they want the title, then they need to follow the responsibilities that goes with it. Now if Hamas fires rockets, Israel can assume that they are the military of Palestine, and can fire back accordingly.
Alphaape
Yes it is very telling. If the Arab world is united against the Jews, then shouldn't they be willing to take them in and help them to get their land. But they don't, they leave them out.
skipbeat
A Palestinian State? Haven’t we been here before…? @ http://emajmagazine.com/2011/07/16/a-palestinian-state-haven%E2%80%99t-we-been-here-before%E2%80%A6/
Jimizo
A promising development. America's one-dimensional view of this issue and unequivocal support for Israel, no matter what the excesses, has been a moral disgrace for decades. They are becoming more and more isolated on this issue - now embarrassingly so.
BertieWooster
Excellent news!
About time!
skipbeat
The USA did not come out and spoke support to stand with Israel. According to USA U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice said, “Today’s unfortunate and counterproductive resolution places further obstacles in the path peace,” Rice did not state support for Israel instead she commented about it. The USA wanted to be the broker for peace and she lost that to the UN. The UN have more authority than the USA.
skipbeat
The USA voted against it, but that does not mean that the USA will stand up for Israel. The support from Israel have shifted. The countries that voted for a Palestine state recognized that change.
cathrynm
How did Japan vote on this?
skipbeat
It's called politics. At the Democrat Presidential convention of 2012 the party decides to take out God and Jerusalem. The party only added that back due to Republican criticism.
Democrats' Efforts To Reinsert 'God' And 'Jerusalem' Into Platform Met With Loud Opposition (VIDEO) @ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/05/dnc-god-jerusalem-platform_n_1859200.html
timtak
The UK abstained.
"In a Commons statement, Mr Hague told the Palestinians they would only gain Britain’s backing if they promised an “immediate and unconditional” resumption of negotiations with Israel and pledged not to ask for the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to be extended over the Occupied Territories."
I can understand why he might have asked the Palestinians to return to the negotiation table, but why did he ask them not to take the Israeli's to court? Doesn't he believe in the fairness of the ICC?
Herve Nmn L'Eisa
It's a seemingly tiny step in the right direction at least. Shame on those who voted against.
timtak
cathrynm
Japan supported the motion.
changamangaliay
Congratulations to Palestinians. And Thank-youWorld for supporting Palestinian cause with such a huge majority. Shame on Israel and very few others trying/helping to grab land by use of violent force. Israel should read what is written on the wall.
changamangaliay
Countries Voted No: Canada, Czechs, Palau, Nauru, Micronesia, Marshall island, Panama, US, Israel. Looks like cast list of 'Coalition of the Willing'
taj
Excellent point, TimTak.
I am very disappointed in Canada.
Zen student
I agree that the UN SHOULD have more authority and perhaps 'on paper' they do. But when it comes to brute force and arms/weaponry, the USA and its proxy states like Israel are clearly more powerful than anyone and unfortunately that's how power works in the world.
This is a great symbolic victory for the Palestinians and I'm happy for them but basically, nothing will change I'm afraid. Israel will push on with its settlements, conduct operations on Palestinian territory, in an obvious attempt to force Hamas' hand as they do (almost too predictably) in tit-for-tat rocket attacks which, incidentally, are not very effective past Israel's shield and this cycle of violence will go on and on until they wipe each other out.
Even though Hamas was elected in a fair-and-square election, I do believe they ARE a terrorist organization (read a great book about HAMAS by Matthew Levitt which gives great insight into this party and their ulterior motives) so the international community needs to throw its support behind the secular Fatah Party, no matter how corrupt they may have been in the past. Just my two cents.
hidingout
Yeah you and tamarama both. I'm more disappointed in the forty odd countries that couldn't bother to take a stand one way or the other.
TheQuestion
You'd think, but no. When the next rockets start falling and we go through this whole song and dance again Palestine will still be a puppet and Israel will still be the wiping boy.
I agree with the point that if they try to take anything to the ICC they're just asking for trouble.
HowardStern
Canada chose not to vote. Cowardice?
HowardStern
I stand corrected. I had heard Canada abstained but double checking reports and i guess they did vote no.
Bgood41
Palestine has the right to statehood and recognizes Israel as its neighbor thus abides with international norms as a legitimate nation. At this moment which Palestine, Palestinian authority; or Hamas controlled Palestine ? When one's house is divided internally; the prosperity is just a dream. The complex negotiations must carry on to clarify many issues before any daylight will be seen in M.E; especially regarding the returning of Palestinians and Jerusalem. Obama's administration did not endorse this event, however; under his watch Iran is progressing toward nuclear bomb, Syria is in turmoil, the Muslim Brotherhood came to power with the uncertainty in Egypt, The Sunni in Dubai, Turkey and Egypt are creating a new dilemma for the West in days to come. Well, the Islamist are getting stronger, Hugo Chavez and Castro are still dictators, plus China and Korea(s) behaving more aggressive, America is getting weak; for these are signs of distorted peaceful world under the fake banner of quiet time before the coming storm. Enjoy your peace.
Athletes
Palestinians dream of statehood is just a castle of sand. UN recognition is just a symbolic and there is no way they can stand up for their rights in UN. There is not much difference between Observer entity and Observer state for UN. It is just a different name for international sympathy for Palestinians plight. However it will not make much difference.
Israel was also former terrorist like Hamas. Such as
October 1, 1946. The British Embassy in Rome was badly damaged by bomb explosions, for which Irgun claimed responsibility.
September 3, 1947. A postal bomb addressed to the British War Office exploded in the post office sorting room in London, injuring 2 persons. It was attributed to Irgun or Stern Gangs. (The Sunday Times, Sept. 24, 1972, p.8)
Likud-Beiteinu dominated government does not want a Palestinian state to emerge that would limit the ability of the Israeli settlers to expand their hold on much of the West Bank. Truth is they want to keep expanding for property development and kicked out many Palestinians into the Mediterranean Sea. Poor Gaza is squeezed by over a 1.6 million people there is no more land space for more people.
5 millions Palestinians (Christians and Muslims) live behind Israeli borders (occupation) ! Only 1.8 millions have the right to vote(Israel recognize them as Israeli), others don't have any right even the right to move (Apartheid) or build houses or even sown trees. Israel doesn't want Peace, Israel keep killing Palestinians, Israel doesn't want to stop stealing the Palestinians land or even declare stop build Jews settlements on Palestinians land.
As a former terrorist byself Israel have no moral high ground for blaming everything is Hamas fault. It takes two to dance Tango. Israel's fate and its well-being are intrinsically linked to the well-being of the Palestinian people. It's time for the powerful to show generosity to the relatively powerless.
tkoind2
Good to see this pass. Palestine needs to be recognized as a state. Though this does not resolve the problem, it is the right first step. Now a few things need to follow.
Israel must end her Apartheid policies against Palestine. Palestine must end support for violence that helps perpetuate this problem. The No Vote countries need to accept this and try to proactively help make it work.WilliB
That is a totally ridiculous misrepresentation of history. The UN General Assembly voted in 1947 to establish states in Palestine for BOTH Palestinian people, i.e. the Jews and the Muslim Arabs. The Jewish state is Israel, the muslim Arab state is Jordan.
The claim that only the muslim Arabs represent "the Palestinians" is islamist propaganda. Alas, media writers like the one who wrote this article have bought into that.
WilliB
Tokind2:
Don't you think the very first thing that would be needed to make "this work" is a willingness by "the Palestinians", aka by the muslim Arabs in Palestine, to recognize the existance if Israel?
That is nowhere to be seen. The UN has now accepted statehood by a "state" which is based solely on the wish to destroy another state.
Tamarama
No it isn't. Go and re-check your facts WilliB.
FightingViking
"Qui va à la chase, perd sa place" - "Leave your place and you will lose it"... The Israelis should have thought of that 2 000 years ago...
FightingViking
Spelling miss... "Qui va à la chasse..."
Steric Hindrance
Excellent news! Its just a first step, but an important one.
That is a strange way of wording it. You make it sound like the Palestinians came from all over the world to push the Israelis off their land (basically that is what the Israelis did to the Palestinians). Instead, the Palestinians are just trying to keep their land, where they had been living for the past many generations.
However, one thing that I find strange is that the UN and much of the world accepts the statehood of a "state" that won't even declare its own borders (Israel).
Anyway, the citizens of the states that voted no (United States, Canada, Czech Republic, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Panama) should think well about whether they want to continue having such disgusting leaders.
YuriOtani
What about the Jews that were in the Arab states that were forced out? They had to go somewhere.
Steric Hindrance
Forced out???
Assuming that is true, is that a valid reason to force the Muslim and Christian populations out of Palestine?
akkk1
.... Now we know for sure, that America is only on the side of Israel.
The Israeli lobby is very powerful in the USA. Their politicians don't dare criticize Israel for fear of losing their jobs and being labeled anti-semitic.
Seamus78
Well done Palestine. May you one day get your lands back. Stay strong the majority of the world are behind you.
SuperLib
Some pretty deranged and hothead comments here.
SuperLib
Seems that the anti-Israeli side has a lot of anger issues.
slumdog
Hopefully this makes things better for both Israelis and Palestinians and not worse.
slumdog
It either seems like 5 thumbs up represent five people that want all of Israel to be "returned" (ie: destroyed) or mistook, as you did, 1947 for 1967. The occupied territories were occupied in 67.
YuriOtani
Steric Hindrance, they were forced out starting in 1948. 850,000 Jews were displaced from 10 countries, today there is less than 7000. 713,000 Palestine people fled from what would become Israel. There were always Jews in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. Now there are none in the Gaza strip. They always lived on the west bank but are now considered intruders. Soon there will be none in the Arab countries. There are 1.5 million Arabs in Israel and the only reason they are not citizens is because they refused to take it. Things are not so clear cut as the anti Israel people represent.
888naff
" Germany and Britain were among the many Western nations that abstained"
the many part in that sentence seems completely incorrect.... actually its just a few and also even as reported in this writers article ...did it need some spin put the article to make some people feel a certain way instead of reporting facts.
lostrune2
Good news for Israel. This helps put Fatah (West Bank) back as a significant player, after Hamas (Gaza) made them look helpless. Fatah recognizes Israel's right to exist; Hamas does not.
lucabrasi
There might just be a reason for that....
AriesKJJ
Sadly not true of our current administration. Our gov. is in bed with oil companies and are impossible to distinguish from their US counterparts these days (Our PM known as Bush of the north). They are the least environmentally concious gov. we have nad in recent history. On Nov. 28 they voted down a chance to provide generic medicine to 3rd world countries which would have save about 2 million children. On the twitter #cdnpoli there was absolute shame and outrage that our supposed representatives voted against the Palestinians: there was not a single post defending the vote.
Though they may have already been ghosts, but the UN "no" vote was the equivilant of political suicide for the Harper government. Many of us are ashamed and angry becase we are the "champions of human rights" that our grandfathers were! But our government are not!
lucabrasi
@Aries
Nail on the head, my friend. Still, surely this bunch of neo-con lite clowns will be voted out next time around...?
gokai_wo_maneku
My how typically American. Hillary dismisses the collective wisdom of the entire UN. But oh dear, Japan was in the "yes" vote. Hope we don't get bombed "accidentally" like the Chinese embassy in Tunisia was.
AriesKJJ
They may not have a chance as of yesterday they are being investigated for massive voter fraud. They would never survive another election "fool me once ..."
Jimizo
@gokai After sitting through endless, excruciating meetings in Japan I can only assume they reached this decision through a game of rock, paper and scissors. Hillary at least is a stooge for an agenda.
maglev101
could always use the default scapegoat to blame things on - china.
Elbuda Mexicano
Egypt can carve out a new country for the Palestinians??
nath
It's high time truth and justice prevails.
volland
It was a good for the planet, when the rest of the world finally stood to the US and Israel.
I hope this will continue......
AriesKJJ
The people of Gaza are living under Israeli apartheid and desperately need our help.
If anyone is not free then none of us are truly free.
hidingout
If you honestly believe that then I urge you to sell your home, quit your job and devote the rest of your life to assisting the downtrodden in gaining their "freedom". Doing anything less makes your statement above an empty platitude.
Vast Right-Wing Conspirator
Aries;
there IS no apartheid in Gaza. It is controlled by the Palistinians themselves, genius.
AriesKJJ
@Vast Right-Wing Conspirator, Who do you think understand apartheid better; you ... or Nelson Mandella and those who get the true nature of the situation and are not racist or fanatical? ... genius!
"But we know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians”. -President Nelson Mandela
@hidingout, think harder there are a few more options if you crank open the mind just a little.
AriesKJJ
There is something wrong with Israel, religious fanaticism ... I guess. Since the truce started they have broken it 17 times, withheld 100 mil dollars and decided to build in an area where they committed to Obama they would never build? They seem hell bent on starting a war ?!
I have no hate for anyone including both Palestinians and Israeli's but the Israeli's are certainly the oppressor and it would seem are trying to systematically exterminate the Palestinians.
Konsta
How?
AriesKJJ
@Konsta Through oppression. There is massive info out there , not anti-sematic but anti-inhumanity ... anti-oppression and certainly anti bombing civiliain with white phosphorus weapons. Here is the address to the UN from Roger Waters who speaks on behalf of a large well respected and certainly anything but racist org. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DrSPFYXUfQ&feature=g-like