by Peter A. Belmont / 2011-09-15
© 2011 Peter Belmont

RSS Recent Essays (All Topics)

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•(10/23) Sketch of Israel-Palestine History

•(10/23) Whoever controls the discourse controls emotional reactions to reality

•(08/23) Russia On Trial

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•(05/22) Abortion, The Constitution, And The Supreme Court

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•(06/21) Israel-Palestine: If not apartheid, then what?

Congress (or some of it) proposes to punish the Palestinian Authority for “unilaterally” going to the UN next week. The PA seeks at least UNGA recognition as a state, promotion of the PLO’s (or Palestine’s) position as an observer, and, at best, membership in the UN.

(President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton for their own part(s)—although they profess to favor creation of a Palestinian state, feel that Israel and the USA should have a veto over such a creative act and accordingly (and ever mindful of the importance of AIPAC in USA’s elections)—promise to use the USA’s veto if any such resolution comes before the Security Council. In the UNSC, any one of 5 countries, including the USA, can veto any non-procedural resolution. Because UN membership requires UNSC approval, the USA’s veto allows the USA to unilaterally prevent Palestine from advancing on its self-chosen path toward UN membership as a member state. Some observers, who have requested anonymity, say that such a USA action might be labeled “unilateral” prevention of full Palestinian statehood.)

But, of course, the PA’s proposal for next week is NOT REALLY UNILATERAL, since it invites the whole world to take a stand on an important issue. That’s MULTI-LATERALISM if ever there was multi-lateralism.

By stark contrast, Israel’s settlements program (1967-present) and wall-building program inside the occupied West Bank is illegal (UNSC-465 (1980)) (ICJ July 2004) and entirely UNILATERAL and clearly anti-peace (as every American president has said).

The American Congress should punish THIS unilateralism by cutting off all aid to Israel and cutting off all military co-operation, joint USA/Israeli weapons research and development, and purchase and sale of weapons with Israel until the settlers have all been removed and the settlements and the wall entirely dismantled.

Or, of course, until a peace treaty is signed. That should go without saying. A Palestinian/Israeli peace treaty could be signed tomorrow, after all. Or next week. Israel and Palestine have been working on it since 1988, after all, when the PLO first recognized Israel. However, such things take time. Particularly when Israel has been in no hurry, being busy creating illegal settlements, and the USA has used its UNSC veto to protect Israel from international law-enforcement action for 43 years.

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