"Our image has undergone change from David fighting Goliath to being Goliath"
- Yitzhak Shamir, former Israeli prime minister on the state of affairs between Palestine and Israel
By John Amaruso
"Facing a lack of progress in their statehood bid, Palestinian leaders said Monday that they would ask the United Nation's General Assembly by month's end to elevate their status in the international body from observer entity to nonmember state"- L.A. Times
This is the opening paragraph of an article in the L.A. Times reporting on Palestine's second attempt in a year to solicit help from the international community in recognizing their right to exist. Last year a bid for full U.N. membership was largely denied, with help from the U.S. and Israel. This time it's for nonmember status. While it may be symbolic, it is a first step.
"On behalf of whom will you present a resolution in September? Mr. Abbas or Hamas?" said Israeli Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor after last year's attempt, insinuating that Hamas would lead the newly Palestinian state, and not the current president Mahmoud Abbas.
Hamas which opposes Israeli occupation of Palestinian land has operated out of the Gaza Strip and have used terror tactics to gain ground on Israeli forces. They have launched home made missiles and bombs over the Israeli border for years in an attempt to deter Israeli forces from entering Palestinian land. In 2008 the "Gaza War" was initiated by Israel to stop the rocket fire into Israeli territory and to cease the shipment of arms to the terrorist group. The war that lasted three weeks resulted in almost 2,000 Palestinian deaths and only 13 Israeli deaths. It is said that for every 1 Israeli soldier killed in the half century long conflict, almost 4 Palestinian civilians were killed.
President Mahmoud Abbas has been pragmatic in his approach towards Israel, and since his election in 2008 has reached his hand out to Israel and has warranted U.S. support to come to a peace treaty between the two warring states. He has denied claims that Palestine is attempting to circumvent negotiations between his country and Israel by seeking UN recognition. Mahmoud Abbas said his nation's desire for UN recognition did not have to prevent talks, but instead could potentially be a catalyst for well intentioned and productive talks between Palestine and Israel. UN recognition would give Palestine the ability to seek UN resolutions and support, ultimately undermining Israeli dominance over the region. This would in turn give Palestine the leverage necessary to impede Israel's desires to have the upper hand in negotiations
- Yitzhak Shamir, former Israeli prime minister on the state of affairs between Palestine and Israel
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| President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine at UN council meeting |
By John Amaruso
"Facing a lack of progress in their statehood bid, Palestinian leaders said Monday that they would ask the United Nation's General Assembly by month's end to elevate their status in the international body from observer entity to nonmember state"- L.A. Times
This is the opening paragraph of an article in the L.A. Times reporting on Palestine's second attempt in a year to solicit help from the international community in recognizing their right to exist. Last year a bid for full U.N. membership was largely denied, with help from the U.S. and Israel. This time it's for nonmember status. While it may be symbolic, it is a first step.
"On behalf of whom will you present a resolution in September? Mr. Abbas or Hamas?" said Israeli Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor after last year's attempt, insinuating that Hamas would lead the newly Palestinian state, and not the current president Mahmoud Abbas.
Hamas which opposes Israeli occupation of Palestinian land has operated out of the Gaza Strip and have used terror tactics to gain ground on Israeli forces. They have launched home made missiles and bombs over the Israeli border for years in an attempt to deter Israeli forces from entering Palestinian land. In 2008 the "Gaza War" was initiated by Israel to stop the rocket fire into Israeli territory and to cease the shipment of arms to the terrorist group. The war that lasted three weeks resulted in almost 2,000 Palestinian deaths and only 13 Israeli deaths. It is said that for every 1 Israeli soldier killed in the half century long conflict, almost 4 Palestinian civilians were killed.
The Palestinian Authority which is the official government of
Palestine has denounced the terror tactics employed by groups like
Hamas, and does not recognize them as an official political party.
Although the Palestinian Authority opposes Hamas's tactics, Israel tends to blur the difference and declare the whole of Palestine a terrorist ran government. Israeli settlements
which encroach on Palestinian territory have provided Hamas the needed sympathy and political support from victims to continue their war
against Israel from both civilians and government officials alike.
President Mahmoud Abbas has been pragmatic in his approach towards Israel, and since his election in 2008 has reached his hand out to Israel and has warranted U.S. support to come to a peace treaty between the two warring states. He has denied claims that Palestine is attempting to circumvent negotiations between his country and Israel by seeking UN recognition. Mahmoud Abbas said his nation's desire for UN recognition did not have to prevent talks, but instead could potentially be a catalyst for well intentioned and productive talks between Palestine and Israel. UN recognition would give Palestine the ability to seek UN resolutions and support, ultimately undermining Israeli dominance over the region. This would in turn give Palestine the leverage necessary to impede Israel's desires to have the upper hand in negotiations
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| President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia shaking hands with President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine |
Several countries in Latin America have
already recognized the state of Palestine, along with Russia, shown in
the picture above with President Mahmoud Abbas and President Dmitry
Medvedev shaking hands at UN council meeting. The Obama administration
has not announced whether or not it supports Palestine's attempts at
gaining recognition for statehood, but has indicated it does not like
the unilateralism employed by Palestine to gain recognition by the UN.
This comes to no surprise, as the U.S.'s long time alliance with Israel
hinders almost any public support for Palestine in their actions.
Whatever the outcome may be, Palestine
seems to be the underdog in this fight. Israel's advanced weaponry,
sophisticated intelligence agency and strong security forces have given
the nation the upper hand in almost any battle fought against Palestine.
Palestine lacks a strong and advanced army, or even an infrastructure
worthy of notice. Almost 80% of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip live in
extreme poverty, while almost half in the West Bank live under the same
conditions. This all comes as the result of Israeli sanctions and
blockades against the state, which Israel claims is in favor of the
national security of Israel to prevent the arms trade to Hamas, but many
in Palestine say it is just an attempt to keep the Palestinian state
from becoming functional and autonomous.
One thing is for certain, negotiations
between the two countries have yielded nothing, and Israeli ignorance of
the Palestinian civilian's livelihoods only further enrages terrorist
groups that see Israel as an oppressor of it's people. Meanwhile Israeli
citizens are fed propaganda and outrageous claims of Palestinian
aggression and savagery against it's people. Both sides must come to an
agreement that can facilitate a two state solution that can live side by
side without conflict. Although this may seem idealist and paternally
optimistic, crazier things have happened.
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| Israel Bombing of Palestine during the 08 Gaza War |
Israel's bullying of the weaker nation has
left Palestine no other option but to seek support from the
international community, which has normally batted an eye to the
demonized state formerly ruled under Hamas. Now that light has been shed
on Israeli aggression and violations against Palestine's people and
international law, the tables have turned and sympathy has been given to
the Palestinian state. Hopefully these two nations can live in peace,
and it is in my opinion that the only way this can be achieved is if the
playing field between Palestine and Israel are leveled. This will be
done through UN recognition of Palestine, which will show Israel that
Palestine can't just be pushed around anymore, and that it's violation
of Palestinian autonomy won't go unpunished. It's this that Israel
worries about, the loss of power over the Palestinian territory which it
arrogantly claims is Israel's.
This could maybe be the
beginning of fair and balanced talks between the two countries, and a
gradual and eventual downgrade of military power from both sides. It is
always said that the stronger party in negotiations does not have to
negotiate. Now that Palestine may have the support of the international
community, Israel will no longer have that luxury, and maybe the
Palestinian people can finally regain their livelihood without the harsh
and aggressive sanctions of it's Goliath like neighbor, Israel.
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