The United Nations has just voted to elevate the status of Palestine from “non-member observer entity” to “non-member observer state” but will anything change in the murky Israeli- Palestinian relationship? After all, a few days ago Palestinian rockets were flying towards Israel as the Jewish state responded with air strikes. What significance does elevating Palestine to parity with the Vatican (status wise) have? The answer is unsurprisingly a matter of your point of view.
On the one hand the peace process between Israel and Palestine has completely stalled. Today the two states are as far from peace as ever. The Gaza blockade remains in place, a constant source of tension and 500,000 Israeli still live in illegal settlements. So long as these practices continue, a prolonged peace seems impossible. Likewise, attacks by Hamas only serve to harm both sides, killing innocent Israeli citizens and enflaming anti Palestinian opinions. Palestine could be recognized as the greatest country in the world for all the good it will do it if the two sides are unable to even reach the peace table.
However, at the peace table, Palestine’s new status will help. The country’s status helps it secure treaties and agreements, and puts increased legal pressure on Israeli settlements in Palestine. It also has great symbolic significance. It creates momentum for the peace process, and helps keep the world’s focus on one of history’s longest running conflicts. Furthermore, it helps even the balance between Israel and Palestine (if only slightly) giving Palestine further diplomatic clout. In fact, the results of the vote are already being felt.
In the aftermath of the vote, the United States (via Secretary of State Hillary Clinton) has sharply criticized Israeli settlement expansion. It’s not a landmark announcement by the U.S, but it is evidence of a slight change in the world of diplomacy. And it is a shift towards what increasingly appears to be the only method of conflict resolution, a two state plan.
An independent Palestinian state that recognizes Israel’s right to exist seems to be the only possible way of resolving the conflict. However, a two state plan can only work with two states, not Israel and a non-member state, or Israel and an observer state, but Israel and an equally legitimate and recognized Palestinian state. And that is what ultimately makes this U.N recognition so important. It is a significant step towards the ultimate U.N recognition of Palestine, recognition currently prevented by one nation.
The United States’ veto on the U.N Security Council is all that stands between Palestine and full statehood. And it is in the interests of the U.S to recognize Palestine sooner rather than later. There is no lasting benefit in preventing Palestinian statehood. That approach only serves to frustrate Palestinians (and keep them staunchly anti-America) whilst simultaneously putting Israel under no pressure to negotiate. It might not be the move that many in Israel want and there will be massive resistance both within and without the U.S, but the Palestinian- Israeli conflict has gone on too long, and claimed too many lives. This last resolution at the U.N was a positive move in the peace process; it’s time to go one better.
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