(Huffington Post) Marc Ginsberg - No matter the hoopla surrounding it, the UN vote on Palestinian statehood is a detour leading nowhere. The measure will yield only more opposition from UN members that matter most to Palestinians: Israel, the U.S., Europe and neighboring Arab states. At the end of the day they will likely share the enhanced status as a "nonmember state" of the UN similar to the status granted the Vatican. Is this really worth the price the PA is about to force its citizenry to pay? The UN theatrics is a poke in the eye at the president's efforts to forge reconciliation with the Arab and broader Muslim worlds. It leaves the U.S. exposed to the prospect that it may have to defy the will of the international community even though the president passionately believes that a negotiated settlement leading to a two-state solution serves everyone's cause. And this comes after the American people have donated more to the plight of Palestinian refugees than every Arab nation combined. The writer is a former U.S. ambassador to Morocco.
2011-09-16 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive