Apr
22

When Palestinians Become “Palestine”

2 Comments

Posted by David

Hamas Cannot Legitimately Represent The Palestinian People. Israel Cannot Recognize Hamas. Source: israelnewsagency.com.

The Israeli-Palestinian “peace process” (if you can call it that) recently has been lethargic when existent. Of late, there has been much discussion of a Palestinian declaration of statehood, likely through a United Nations resolution.  The ideal declaration of Palestinian statehood would be in conjunction with a final-status peace agreement between the two sides. However, Palestinians are rightfully pessimistic about short-term peace process progress. This is not due, in any part, to lack of Israeli efforts, but rather because the Palestinian governments refuse to suppress violence, renounce terror, and agree to negotiate without self-defeating preconditions. Approximately one year ago, Tony Blair asserted, “The two state solution begins not with a state of land, but with a state of mind.” The Palestinian governments (yes, “governments” is very much so plural) are not in that state of mind.

Should a Palestinian state be created without the auspices of a peace covenant, it is in the United States’ interest to recognize it. Moreover, precedent holds that the United States should recognize Palestine in 11 minutes, as it did with Israel on May 14, 1948. The United States will lose vast amounts of Palestinian political capital if it refuses to recognize a Palestinian state as the EU, Turkey, South America, and other global-players do.

(Read this Washington Post piece by Aaron David Miller outlining why Palestinians should not declare unilateral statehood this fall, particularly through the United Nations and without a peace agreement.)

But, the United States should not recognize Palestine in total accordance with United Nations resolution (any UN declaration likely will skew boundaries; the U.S. should abstain in any Security Council vote and then offer an official recognition from the State Department or the White House afterward). Instead the U.S. should offer a conditional recognition of Palestinian statehood, temporarily pursuant to modified 1967 armistice lines. The U.S. should officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s single, unified capital. Prior to legitimate elections, Mahmoud Abbas and Salam Fayyad should be the recognized leaders of a Palestinian state with a capital in the West Bank. Any Palestinian land not independent of Hamas’ governance should not be recognized by the United States, and the U.S. must continue to demand that Hamas renounce all terrorist activities, amend its charter of hate, and recognize the State of Israel. Palestine must recognize Israel’s right to exist as an independent, Jewish democracy and must agree to immediately begin negotiations with the Israeli government to achieve a final-status accord.

U.S. recognition of Palestine would put Israel in a very difficult situation. Israel cannot recognize a state hell-bent on its annihilation, but it also must make every effort, as a Jewish democracy, to promote regional self-determination and democratic principles. Certain Israeli policies are valid under international law in part because Israel is dealing with a people, and not a state. The United States should not compel its most important regional ally to recognize Palestine immediately. When Israel recognizes Palestine, it must be on Israel’s own terms.

The Palestinian people have every right to statehood; however, they must act in a peaceful, organized, legitimate manner.

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Posted in David Foreign Policy
2 Comments Posted by David

2 Responses to "When Palestinians Become “Palestine”"

  • Rick says:
    April 25, 2011 at 11:50 am
    Reply

    This is really magical thinking, David. The US is much more likely to recognize the Palestinian State with none of the conditions you suggest. That’s why it’s such an anti-Israel move. It will define borders which have not been negotiated, it will assign sovereignty to Palestine and thus make Israel apartheid by definition, if not an illegitimate occupying power, and it will continue to empower the Muslim countries to work for Israel’s ultimate demise.

    If the US was a true friend of Israel, it would warn the UN of dire consequences if they were to bring Palestinian statehood to a vote before negotiations were completed, including severing all ties with the UN, particularly financial. Then let the buggers see if they can do anything.

    It’s ludicrous to try and find a work around for this BS. Just say no.

  • David says:
    April 25, 2011 at 12:56 pm
    Reply

    I agree to a large extent, but you know as well as I do that the UN will often do what it can to hurt Israel. The U.S. could veto a Security Council vote, but I think that would be detrimental to our global political capital, and not something we can afford to do. Likewise, isolating ourselves from the UN will ultimately hurt us (despite all the problems with the UN).

    That’s why I think the only way we can support both self determination and Israel is to recognize a Palestinian state on our own, more legitimate terms.

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