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Israel: Doomed Palestinian UN Gambit a Domestic Propaganda Ploy
(Jerusalem Post) Herb Keinon - The Palestinian decision to take an uncompromising resolution to the UN Security Council that had no chance of passing indicates that this is more of a propaganda stunt aimed for the domestic audience than an attempt to move the diplomatic process forward, Israeli diplomatic officials said Tuesday. The Palestinians would have had a much better chance of gaining the nine votes needed to pass the resolution - barring a U.S. veto - if they had waited until Thursday because then, Venezuela and Malaysia, which can be counted on to vote against Israel on any measure, would join the Security Council. By forcing a vote before Jan. 1, it is clear that they were interested in a defeat in order to avoid a U.S. veto, one official said. Forcing a U.S. veto, which would put Washington in an uncomfortable situation internationally, would complicate the Palestinians' relationship with the U.S. But bringing the resolution to a vote was seen by PA President Abbas as something that would play well on the Palestinian street in his competition with Hamas, the official said.