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(Image source: Light Stalkers) BY COLLIN RUANE
ANCHOR JASMINE BAILEY
Palestinians could be one step closer to achieving official statehood if the U.N. General Assembly
upgrades the country to a new “status” Thursday. WJXT has more.
“The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank … is again making the case for statehood.
Today, the UN General Assembly will decide whether to upgrade them to ‘non-member observer
state.’”
Why now? Haaretz reports, this was the right time for President Mahmoud Abbas to try to
move his people forward.
“The diplomatic freeze with Israel, the Palestinians' internal diplomatic crisis,
Hamas's empowerment in the wake of the Arab Spring and the recent conflict in Gaza have
all contributed to Abbas's decision to follow through with his bid, and to prove that he
can produce some achievements for the Palestinian people.”
According to a writer for TIME Magazine, Thursday’s vote also means the U.S.’s master plan didn’t
quite work out.
“The U.S. appears to have failed in its effort to persuade ... Abbas to withdraw or
soften his bid to upgrade the U.N. status of the still-hypothetical state of Palestine.”
Ironically, Thursday isn’t just a day votes will be cast for Palestine. It’s also the
United Nations International Day of Solidarity. Al Jazeera explains.
“Solidarity Day provides an opportunity for the international community to focus its
attention on the fact that the question of Palestine is still unresolved and that the
Palestinians are yet to attain their inalienable rights as defined by the UN General Assembly.”
A CNN correspondent notes, this vote won’t significantly impact the larger picture.
“The US knows it isn’t going to give the Palestinians what they want, which is a state.
Now, this vote is largely symbolic. It’s going to have no effect on the Palestinians’
sovereignty, borders.”
A writer for The Telegraph expects the measure to pass “resoundingly” even without U.S.
support. And the Globe and Mail reports, the next step will be crucial.
“There is only one way for the Palestinians to achieve statehood, and that is to convince
a majority of Israelis that a Palestinian state would be a peaceful neighbour, and not
threaten their most basic security.”