UN Secretary General: Palestinian statehood is 'long overdue'

[azurnoir]

The Palestinian people are "long overdue" in their quest for an independent state, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Friday, ahead of a Palestinian push for statehood in the UN planned for later this month.

Ban's comments came a day after Palestinian activists launched a campaign for the recognition of a Palestinian state in the United Nations. The move contradicts earlier reports that the Palestinian Authority was the one who issued the request.

<snip>

Speaking on Friday, the UN chief was quoted by the French news agency AFP as saying he fully supported Palestinian statehood: "The two state vision where Israel and Palestinians can live... side by side in peace and security -- that is a still a valid vision and I fully support it."

"And I support also the statehood of Palestinians; an independent, sovereign state of Palestine. It has been long overdue," Ban told reporters in Canberra, adding that a "recognition of a state is something to be determined by the member states."

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/un-secretary-general-palestinian-statehood-is-long-overdue-1.383504

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Can a Palestinian state, complete with borders and a recognized sovereign

government be created at the UN without the U.S. and Israel?

[azurnoir]

2. well it is nice to see you admit that Israel and the US stand united against a Palestinian state

we see many denials of the obvious

[bemildred]

3. Sure, why not? Edit: to be clear: where do you think states come from?

In almost all cases they invent themselves by means of their own choosing over the strenuous objections of the previous tenants. The UN vote may or may not help the Palestinians along their way, but it is certainly a reasonable way for them to proceed.

[hack89]

4. The UN cannot set the borders

nor can they settle issues like ROR or Jerusalem. It does not settle any issues at all.

[azurnoir]

5. No it does not but Abbas has stated several times that the UN bid does not eliminate negotiations

it only adds to the urgency for them

[hack89]

6. What did Hamas have to say about negotiations?

I doubt they see any urgency.

[azurnoir]

7. no Hamas much like the US and Israel seems opposed to the UN bid

and with them I would wager negotiations

Hamas has informed factions in Gaza that they are not in favor of any popular action to support the bid, Az-Ziq said.

Political factions in the coastal enclave have, however, tried to convince Hamas of the importance of such events.

Popular protests and public events to demonstrate support for the UN bid for statehood are important, Az-Ziq said, adding that some factions in the Strip are frustrated by Hamas' position on the issue.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=418450

[Scurrilous]

8. Indeed.

:thumbsup:

[azurnoir]

9. agreed though it seems 'strange' how the Hamas Israel and the US

seem so like-minded with regard to the Palestinian UN bid

[Violet_Crumble]

10. OneVoice youth activists unveil campaign backing Palestinian UN bid

New York, September 8, 2011­—OneVoice Palestine’s youth activists unveiled their ambitious online and on the ground campaign on Thursday in support of the fast-approaching Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations.

OneVoice Palestine launched a campaign, entitled “We have a homeland, we want a state,” in partnership with Wattan TV and other local news agencies to mobilize thousands of ordinary Palestinians into collective action to gain full admittance to the UN on the road to a two-state solution.

“For Palestinians, the UN bid for international recognition of our state serves to protect and secure our homeland,” said Samer Makhlouf, executive director of OneVoice Palestine. “The UN has admitted states far less developed than ours and we see no justification for denying us this right.”

Palestine TV and Wattan TV began airing a short promotional video produced by OneVoice Palestine that envisions an international Palestinian airport. An online banner that reads, “1967 borders + implementation of international resolutions + removing settlements = state, freedom, peace, democracy, sovereignty, dignity, independence,” was posted on Wattan TV’s site, and appears on Al-Jazeera’s Web site and the popular sports site Kooora.

<snip>

OneVoice maintains local offices in Israel and Palestine that work independently to appeal to the national self-interest of their own societies, but both advocate two states for two peoples and in this pursuit have found a partner in one another.

OneVoice Israel will also launch a campaign in the coming days urging Israelis to back international recognition of a Palestinian state as a necessary step to restart peace talks toward a two-state solution.

http://blog.onevoicemovement.org/one_voice/2011/09/onevoice-youth-activists-unveil-campaign-backing-palestinian-un-bid.html