After the events of Operation Pillar of Defense between Israel and Gaza, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is seeking support from the United Nations to recognize Palestine as a non-member observer state.
Non-member observers can speak at U.N. General Assembly meetings
and sponsor and sign resolutions but cannot vote on them. The General Assembly will meet and vote Nov. 29 to determine whether Palestine will be recognized as a state. The day is also the anniversary of the U.N. vote on accepting the Partition Plan in 1947 and is the U.N.’s International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in regards to achieving a cease-fire in Gaza but also discussed that punishing Palestinians after the bid, as Israel threatened, could leave him with dire consequences. She later met with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Abbas in the Palestinian city of Ramallah, suggesting he hold onto the bid until after Israeli elections.
Abbas said in a statement, if Israel retaliates against his U.N. bid, he will “invite Netanyahu to the Palestinian Authority’s headquarters in Ramallah and will give him the keys.”
Eastern Michigan University freshman and education major Reem Aabed is from the Gaza Strip and said it’s unlikely either side will hand the land over to the other.
“I don’t think the truce will hold for long and that thought scares me,” Aabed said. “I hope the U.S. can somehow make a fair peace treaty between Israel and Palestine so no more innocent lives are lost.”
According to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Palestinians are expected to have support of at least 150 of the 193 U.N. member votes. This brings concern to Israel because it permits Palestinians to ask for membership in the International Criminal Court, which allows them to bring up cases against Israel, such as construction in settlements.
EMU sophomore and economics major Fadi Issa said the Palestinian Authority needs this international support to prevent future controversies.
“It’s tragic to see many innocent people die from both sides,” Issa said.
The Jewish Telegraph Agency reported, “The United States had urged the Palestinians to add a clause to the draft saying that they would not file criminal charges against Israeli leaders at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the Israeli daily reported, but the Palestinians refused to make the addition”
EMU sophomore and clinical psychology major Layali Alsadah said Palestinians do not have a voice in their own conflict and their own lives. She also said if the U.S. plans to veto the bid, it pulls them back from the peaceful agreement that is trying to be achieved.
“I’m not denying the fact that Israel had a right to defend themselves, they 100 percent do,” Alsadah said. “This entire conflict is a colossal misstep for humanity.”
EMU junior and biology major Ahmed Abuzoor said this war scene resembles the genocides committed against the Jews in World War II.
“Resolving the conflict and giving the Palestinians their right to land and freedom would be a good step to take,” Abuzoor said. “My uncle’s wife’s parents had their roof collapse on them due to an IDF rocket that hit their home.”
EMU senior and biology major Adham Ghannam is from the Israeli-occupied city of Hebron and said when the Palestinians reached out to the security council months ago for the same purpose, the U.S. said they would veto it.
“This Thursday, the [Palestinian Authority] is going to the General Body at the U.N.,” Ghannam said. “But instead of statehood, [the Palestinians] are reaching for observer status which will improve their standing around the world considerably.”
