Obama’s unwise campaign against Palestinian statehood

[Better Believe It]

Obama’s unwise campaign against Palestinian statehood
By Ghassan Michel Rubeiz
Ghassan Michel Rubeiz, a social scientist and political commentator, is the former secretary of the Middle East for the Geneva-based World Council of Churches.
September 22, 2011

President Obama is staging an unwarranted diplomatic battle against the Palestinian attempt at statehood recognition through U.N. membership.

In his speech to the United Nations on Sept. 21, Obama opposed the Palestinian bid for membership without giving any good reason. Instead, he urged a focus on the peace process without showing how he plans to creatively impact Arab-Israeli relations.
According to Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Palestinian effort at the United Nations is unilateral and threatening to peace. In fact, Palestinian statehood would affirm the security of Israel and serve the peace process.

Is the Palestinian move really unilateral? The move is unilateral only as an act of self-determination, but its intention is not to be disruptive. The United Nations is the widest possible platform for peace. And the Palestinian approach to the United Nations is long overdue.

For many years, the Palestinians have relied on the United States to promote a two-state solution. The result has been a dismal failure, primarily because America has not been able to act as a neutral broker. The Obama administration is doing peace a disfavor by its obdurate approach.

Read the full article at:

http://www.progressive.org/palestinian_statehood.html