The state of Palestine must be internationally recognised. The nation that has been occupied and terrorised for so long needs both a government that can stand up for its people and feel the respect of the international community that statehood and membership of the United Nations would bring. This is why the Palestinians are right to seek recognition of their statehood at the United Nations. The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) was due to submit an Arab-backed resolution to the UN yesterday, after the Palestinians agreed with France on a merged text that removes recognition of Israel as a Jewish state. This new version was reported to set a two-year timetable for concluding a peace treaty, without mentioning the withdrawal of Israeli forces. The PLO has been in constant talks with France and its European partners in Britain and Germany.
The Palestinians have the same right to national recognition as every other nation on Earth, which is why it is shocking that the US may well use its veto to stop recognition of a Palestinian state, on the ludicrous excuse that nothing should be allowed to “interfere” with preparations for snap elections in Israel, according to US Secretary of State John Kerry. He miserably failed to explain why an attempt by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to dump his awkward coalition partners should have anything to do with the international recognition of the Palestinian state. Netanyahu has said that he thinks international recognition of Palestine would force conditions on Israel in advance of any talks. In fact, if Israel has any hope of a long-term peaceful relationship with Palestine, it will have to learn to live with a Palestinian state that governs an independent people within the 1967 borders. They will have given up hope of reclaiming the vast majority of their former state that is now Israel and this huge concession to a terrible loss is the core of the Palestinian commitment to peace. The US and Israel need to join an increasing number of countries around the world and recognise Palestine as a full member of the international body.
