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Palestinians Forge Ahead with UN Statehood Push. Are They Ready?
(Christian Science Monitor) Joshua Mitnick - Some Palestinians say that pushing for the UN to take action on statehood is premature and potentially detrimental to Palestinians. "The Palestinians don't have the ability to stand on their own if Israel says, 'Do it yourself,'" says a senior Israeli official. "It's an international illusion. They have no currency, no tax system, and they have no ability to deal with Hamas." In August 2009, PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad launched a two-year initiative to prepare for statehood. Foreign donors underwrote his state-building project to the tune of nearly $2 billion a year. Today, Fayyad can point to the overhaul of the Palestinian security forces, the reestablishment of law and order in towns, and increased transparency of key ministries like the treasury. Yet few Palestinians say the UN vote will change their daily lives. They are more worried about losing international aid - $1.7 billion, or a quarter of the Palestinian gross domestic product - as a result of the vote.