New U.N. status for Palestinians
U.S., Israel lose ‘state’ vote; Abbas strategy unclear
UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations General Assembly voted by a lopsided margin over U.S. and Israeli objections to grant Palestinians a new, enhanced status that acknowledges their cherished goal of statehood.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas won 138 of the assembly’s 193 votes Thursday, including those of some key European states, for his proposal to have the group’s standing upgraded to “nonmember observer state” from “nonmember observer entity.”
It was the use of the word “state” that was most important to Palestinians. Abbas argued the designation would amount to international recognition of the statehood that Palestinians have not been able to win through decades of negotiation. But it may have little practical effect on their ability to achieve it.
All the same, Palestinians danced in the streets, honked horns, hugged and set off fireworks.
“Today we are a state,” said Khalil Abdulsalam, 35, a government office worker in Ramallah, shouting to be heard over the celebrations. “Today we are a part of the international community and the rest of the world must see us as a state.”
The new status opens the way for the Palestinians to press their interests through U.N. organizations, and some have suggested that they might use the International Criminal Court to fight Israeli settlements or accuse Israel of war crimes. But it remains unclear how aggressively Abbas will embrace a strategy that risks devastating retaliation from the United States and Israel.
The normally cautious Abbas laid out his plan with ringing declarations about the rights of Palestinians, but with little hint of how far he intends to go.
The assembly was being asked “to issue a birth cer- tificate to the reality of the state of Palestine,” said Abbas, who received two standing ovations from a packed hall.
Abbas also denounced Israel for its “aggressive policies and the perpetration of war crimes,” remarks that brought an angry response from the Jewish state.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the speech “defamatory and venomous.”
“These are not the words of a man who wants peace,” Netanyahu said in a state- ment released by his office. He reiterated Israeli calls for direct talks with the Palestinians, dismissing Thursday’s resolution as “meaningless.”
The U.S. and Israel say the Palestinians should achieve statehood through direct negotiations with Israel, and consider the proposal a disruptive end-run around negotiations.
They were joined in voting against the proposal only by the Czech Republic, Canada, Panama, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau and Nauru.
France, Spain, Italy and the Scandinavian countries were with the majority in the 138-9 vote. The United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands were among the 41 countries that abstained.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the United Nations made an “unfortunate and counterproductive decision” that placed “new obstacles in the path of peace.”
U.S. officials, including Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, met with Abbas on Wednesday in
France, Italy, Norway Canada, Czech Republic, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands
The upgrade gives the Palestinian Authority privileges such as access to the International Criminal Court and other international bodies. The only other state or entity with this status is the Vatican. New York to urge him again not to use the new status to begin a fight with Israel that could backfire with devastating results.