Debating the UN bid for Palestinian statehood

[Jefferson23]

Experts discuss what may happen with the Palestinian bid for UN statehood and what it means for all concerned.
Roxanne Horesh Last Modified: 19 Sep 2011 15:32


A delegation of Palestinian leaders has flown to New York for the opening of the UN General Assembly, beginning on September 20, to request UN membership for a Palestinian state.

Senior members of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) have said they will go to the Security Council. The bid is opposed by Israel and the United States, with the latter threatening to veto any bid for full UN membership.

This diplomatic high-wire act to statehood has garnered international attention and controversy. Experts and stakeholders say the outcome of the bid is unknown. They agree that it marks a change in strategy from previous bi-partisan negotiations, which have failed thus far to bring about a Palestinian state.

Many are sceptical of the move, and several questions remain unanswered. Will it bring an end to the Israeli occupation? Will it alter the US' diplomatic role in the region? Will it get Palestinians and Israelis back to the negotiating table? Or will it inspire grassroots Palestinian mobilisation?

Al Jazeera speaks to stakeholders, academics, analysts, and activists asking them what they thought of the upcoming bid. What is the Palestinian Liberation Organisation's statehood strategy at the UN, and what are the possible repercussions for all those concerned?

Avi Shlaim


Shlaim is a professor of international relations at the University of Oxford and a fellow at Saint Antony's College. He was born in Baghdad in 1945 and grew up in Israel. He is a globally renowned scholar on the Arab-Israeli conflict.

in full: http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/09/201191910126371759.html

[oberliner]

1. Awkwardly excerpted

You include Avi Shlaim's name and bio but nothing that he actually said or wrote on the subject - just the bland introduction from AJ.

[Jefferson23]

2. I start from the beginning of the OP as a presentation..that is how it

is formated. You prefer another form, start another OP on the same subject..you comment about the silliest crap sometimes oberliner.

[oberliner]

4. Why six paragraphs - and Avi Shlaim's name?

Why not cut it before his name and biographical info?

As it stands the excerpt basically says nothing and provides no information.

Makes no sense.

[Jefferson23]

5. You going to keep up this bullshit, go play by yourself. I already

gave you a response..you're not ready to move on to the content, evidently.

Derailing threads is inappropriate.

[oberliner]

6. Nothing is being derailed

What is even the topic of this thread?

It has not been elucidated by your excerpt nor by any comments you have made.

What is it that you are hoping to discuss in this thread?

The question is meant seriously - I don't understand the purpose of the post as excerpted.

If you want to get the conversation rolling, I'd be happy to participate.

Pleas share exactly what you find to be discussion-worthy in the OP and let's talk about it!

[dtexdem]

3. It's simple justice. And the U.S. will likely shoot it down with a veto.

And the U.S. already knows the price it will pay diplomatically for doing so.

[oberliner]

7. Not going to happen

There will be no US veto.