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Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2011/0714/Palestinians-gambit-for-UN-recognition-wobbles
Palestinians' Gambit for UN Recognition Wobbles
(Christian Science Monitor) Joshua Mitnick - Palestinians are trying to get the UN to recognize Palestine as an independent state - and, ideally, welcome it as a new UN member. But now, with the potential vote just two months away and the paperwork due this month, PA officials appear to be getting cold feet. The U.S. has vowed to veto the move, all but guaranteeing that Palestinians would be denied full UN membership. While the UN could instead make a symbolic declaration or upgrade the PA's observer status, officials are increasingly worried that a toothless measure could prompt popular frustration and anger that would weaken the PA and strengthen hard-liners like Hamas. "The Palestinian leadership has been promising or expecting to deliver in September. When it fails, it will undermine its public standing and strengthen the standing of the opposition," says Palestinian government spokesman Ghassan Khatib. Israel views the UN campaign as a unilateral move that violates past peace treaties between the Palestinians and Israel. Israeli and Palestinian security forces are concerned about mass protests pegged to the UN move and inspired by the spirit of popular demonstration spreading through the region. President Obama and U.S. lawmakers, seeking to protect Israel and viewing the UN move as a challenge to its leadership on the peace process, have strongly opposed the statehood bid. On June 29, the U.S. Senate passed a unanimous resolution urging Palestinian leaders to "cease all efforts at circumventing the negotiation process," specifically calling out the UN campaign. If the PA fails to cease such efforts, the resolution warned, Congress could place restrictions on the roughly half-billion dollars in annual aid it sends to the PA. Palestinian analyst Hani al-Masri believes that Abbas' aides are looking for an exit strategy. "They are afraid of stopping aid from the U.S. They are afraid of Palestinian protests," he says.