As the 66th session of the United Nations convened this week, the number one topic of speculation has been the Palestinian bid for UN recognition. US diplomats have burned up the sidelines of the gathering in a mad scramble to convince the Palestinians to drop their request and avert an international crisis.
PA President Mahmoud Abbas wants the United Nations to formally recognize Palestine as an independent state with borders based on a UN resolution passed 64 years ago! It's a resolution the Jews accepted back in 1947, but the Arabs rejected!
Abbas has been adamant in his determination to submit a formal request to the Security Council. The PA says it will also ask the General Assembly to extend recognition. That will be a slam dunk there, since the majority of nations are Muslim or Muslim-sympathetic. Observers expect about 130 of the 191 members will vote in favor of the Palestinian state.
Of course, the GA carries no legal weight. Only Security Council votes bear the authority of international law. But recognition by the General Assembly will still complicate things immeasurably for Israel. The US has announced it will veto the request at the Security Council and President Obama essentially confirmed that in his speech to the UN on Wednesday.
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