As the United States and Israel meet the Palestinian bid for state recognition in the United Nations with heavy opposition, one begins to question why the two countries time and time again flaunt domestic democracy but flout its international counterpart in the U.N.
The U.S. has vowed to block any measure elevating Palestine from its current role as an observer state, claiming it would be detrimental to stalled peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis. But, democracy does not just exist at the domestic level it must be exercised internationally. The world wants a Palestine. The U.S. should not abuse the power it has in the U.N.
The Security Council must approve full membership in the U.N., but a two-thirds majority in the General Assembly could upgrade Palestine to the status of a non-member state. The key word here being “state.”
As the European Union continues to discuss its position on the bid, Palestinians say they will garner more than 160 votes from the 193-member General Assembly, and Russia — a member of the U.N. Security Council — says it will support the Palestinians whether or not they seek recognition of statehood.
“We will, of course, be voting for any of the Palestinians’ proposals,” Russia’s UN envoy Vitaly Churkin told Interfax news agency.
“We are saying that ‘Whatever you decide to do, we will support you’,” Churkin said.
What does America say to that?
“If this came to the Security Council we would object very strongly, precisely because we think it would be counterproductive. We don’t think that it would actually lead to the outcome that we want, which is a two state solution,” Pres. Obama told the German Press Agency dpa, seemingly forgetting the independence his country declared over 200 years ago.
In 1776, American colonists unilaterally declared independence from Great Britain. In 1948, Israelis unilaterally declared independence immediately after the British Mandate of Palestine expired. In 2011, Palestinians are seeking, by democratic means the recognition of a state they already govern but are met with opposition from two of the world’s most vibrant democracies.
Why does American foreign policy continue to be: “Democracy only when you don’t want it.”
The U.S. needs to reflect on the position it is taking. If Palestine is recognized as a state in the U.N., an internationally recognized democratic body, a two-state solution will have, in effect, been initiated.
Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian negotiator, said in a joint press conference that U.N. membership would not substitute for negotiations with Israel.
“On the contrary,” he said, “[U.N. membership] lays the foundation for the principle of two states.”
Saudi Arabia seems to agree on this front, as well.
Prince Turki, a former Saudi intelligence chief, said Palestinian statehood would allow Palestine-Israel peace talks to restart “with a new paradigm based on state-to-state negotiations.”
Erekat and Turki are right. If the U.S. truly wants to seek a two-state solution, Palestinians must be taken seriously.
They must be given something to bargain with. Otherwise, Israel will continue to build settlements that alter population demographics and hurt any chance for a two-state solution that is favorable to both sides.
The U.S. needs to wake up and support a cause the world is beginning to approve of.
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