U.N. recognition of Palestine? Where do we go from here?
In September, the Palestinian Authority plans to petition the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly for statehood, after countless years of failed negotiations with Israel and third parties. There will be vast implications to an application for statehood by the Palestinian Authority, whether it is successful or not, both nationally and internationally.
Join the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice and the International Policy Center of the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy for a panel discussion on the impacts of the U.N.’s decision on Palestine on peace efforts, the Palestinian and Israeli people, and the region in general. Where do we go from here?
Thursday, Oct. 6, 2011 at 7 p.m. in the Koessler Room of the Michigan League, 911 N. University, Ann Arbor (on the third floor).
Panelists include:
- Steven Ratner, the Bruno Simma Collegiate Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School. Professor Ratner teaches and researches public international law on a range of challenges facing governments and international institutions since the Cold War, including ethnic conflict, border disputes, counter-terrorism strategies, corporate and state duties regarding foreign investment and accountability for human rights violations. Professor Ratner has extensive experience with the inner workings of the United Nations in both the academic and professional realms.
- Aaron Ahuvia, is a professor at the U-M-Dearborn College of Business and author of "The Social Marketing of Peace: Grassroots Movements, U.S. Foreign Policy and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict." Professor Ahuvia is an expert in the use of marketing techniques to solve social problems and influence public opinion. His research has been quoted in Time, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and major publications in Europe and Japan. He has appeared on public radio talk shows, as well as popular television shows such as Oprah.
- Hani Bawardi, assistant professor at the University of Michigan - Dearborn. Dr. Bawardi teaches courses on Islam, Arab American studies, and U.S. history in the Social Sciences Department and the Center for Arab American Studies. He introduced courses on the life and history of Arab Americans at Wayne State, where he also taught on the Middle East and Islam. Dr. Bawardi has participated in several national and international conferences including the Middle Eastern Studies Association and the World Council on the Middle East, and is currently finishing a book on Arab American political activities in the U.S. from 1912 to 1951, and translating two volumes from Arabic from the turn of the twentieth century diaspora literature.
Sponsored by the The Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice. Co-sponsored by the the International Policy Center of the UM Ford School of Public Policy, Michigan PeaceWorks, and JStreetUmich.
Comments
Roadman
Sat, Oct 8, 2011 : 10:30 p.m.
I attended the panel discussion and spoke to both Professors Ratner and Bawardi. It was all very informative. A number of familiar (and expected) faces were in the audience. Steve Ratner is a Yale Law School worked for the State Department and later on a U.N. panel that issued recommendations to the Secretary General in matters of war crimes prosecutions. He explained the parameters of what constitutes a "state" or "occupied territory" under international law, including the Hague and Geneva Conventions. He adopts a "J-Street" viewpoint. Hani Bawardi, who is of Palestinian origin, gave a historical perspective as to the conflict explaining the various events leading up to the founding of the State of Israel including the efforts of Jewish members of U.S. Congress to assist in the founding of a state. He explained that the U.S. influenced foreign powers with promises of continued aid to asist in a U.N. vote supporting Israeli membership in the U.N. Professor Ahuvia discussed how public policy can be influenced by letter writing campaigns to members of Congress. He opposes the West Bank settlements. Overall, an excellent discussion by the three speakers. Bawardi explained of the heighly-organized pro-Israel organizations in the U.S. affected American foreign policy.
Bill Wilson
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 11:01 p.m.
"The literary evidence from the Old Testament Books is very convincing and we have also evidence to show that Shahanshah Cyrus the Great, the Emperor of Persia had issued an edict to rebuild the First Temple in Jerusalem that was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylonia in 586 B.C. Over 40,000 Jews held captive in Babylonia were allowed to return to Jerusalem and the Second Temple in Jerusalem was built in 516 B.C. " --------------------------------------------------- Actually, both the Torah and the Bible are works that are taken directly from far older Sumerian and Akkadian stories, cultures that predate the Jews by thousands of years. The stories of Noah (Gilgamesh) and Moses (Sargon) are perfect examples. If we're truly to make decisions based on original ownership, the arabic people are the rightful owners.
bedrog
Sat, Oct 8, 2011 : 8:43 p.m.
I never said anything about the age of the gospels because they are not a topic i recall addressing ( and they are irrelevant here) ...but they are indeed post christ, and of varied ages and authors. I would never have said otherwise. Several words you need to learn: Invasion; migration; accuturation; syncretism; independent invention. All are relevant and essential to discussing history anywhere ---middle east included.. instead of the ridiculous and simplistic notion of everything coming from one place/ people ( let alone the one you seem to be fixated on). I know you once read a book by Samuel Noah Kramer (who was a prof where I studied before i got there) but you completely misrepresent what he says, and take his title far more literally than he ever intended.... and by so doing ignore the vast amount of middle east archeology and history that he actually did and that has come since... and you also seem to hate israel ( along with other cranks in the area and on this thread) to the point of flogging gross misrepresentations of Jewish and indeed all (.including Arab ) history to deny its legitimacy. You can choose to doubt my academic credentials, but you disbelieve so much else that is true ( and believe so much that is not) that i could care less.. and the TIAA pension checks keep coming anyway. again...bored/done here..
Bill Wilson
Sat, Oct 8, 2011 : 7:47 p.m.
At last we spoke, you were entirely unaware that the gospels were written at least 70 years after the death of Jesus. As for the origins of the peoples of Sumeria, let's set that aside. The fact remains: the stories in the Bible and the Torah ALL take their roots from far, far older Sumerian and Akkadian tales. The history of the Jews... is actually a borrowed history. Even if we adopt the notion that the original settlers are the peoples entitled to the lands in question, that still does not equate to the Jews. And no diss intended, but no serious scholar could argue otherwise.
bedrog
Sat, Oct 8, 2011 : 2:51 p.m.
truth in advertising: i hit the wrong key: should read "islamicized arabs are around 3500 years later than Sumerians..." sorry
bedrog
Sat, Oct 8, 2011 : 2:49 p.m.
oh my god!! The sumerians and arabs are entirely different peoples. and the Noah-like ( but by no means identical) story in the Gilgamesh epic refers to Utnapishtim, not gilgamesh...and your moses= Sargon thing...again oh my god!! And Islamicized Arabs are 4500 years later than sumerians /akkadians and 2000years later than identifiable jews. Living in the ancient middle east does not invariably equal full ,or even partial ,identity with much later ethnic/cultural groups. A little ( badly comprehended )reading is a dangerous thing in the wrong hands.
BhavanaJagat
Wed, Oct 5, 2011 : 3:54 p.m.
YISRAEL HAS NO CHOICE : The name itself suggests struggle or wrestle. The name took birth after prevailing in a struggle at Jabbok. If that is so, to prevail in a struggle against your enemy is a duty and obligation. Isreal has no choice other than that of a struggle for its existence until a new Dawn that would usher Peace when people submit to the will of the LORD God.
bedrog
Wed, Oct 5, 2011 : 10:23 a.m.
yes roadman...I know i'm correct. And since you acknowledge the virtues of the Israeli system ( which are not perfection but immeasurably superior to anything else in the region) why are you such a relentless cheerleader for those with systems utterly devoid of the same virtues, even in settings where the presence of Israel is remote to none??
bedrog
Wed, Oct 5, 2011 : 6:02 p.m.
Roadman ( in what will be my last here... since i'm really getting bored with your relentless opacity!!) : The west bank will get it's own government and freedom from Israeli martial rule when it unequivocally and unambiguously acknowledges Israels right to exist via hard face to face negotiations on territorial and other details that guarantee it won't become another 'Hamastan" (aka' gaza"). That has been made abundantly clear by the israelis. Which is fair in history, since losers in wars they start typically don't get to dictate 100% of the terms of peace. re. jordan..While I like this particular king ( and his dad , who knew how to lose wars gracefully), he's still a king and the country is hardly a model of civic democracy ( ever hear of "black september", re the palestinians, and the 'bedouin/ fellahin" rift in that country... a cultural divide that is not insignificant )??.. Finally...i am delighted that you seem willing to disconnect the west bank and its issues from terrorist ruled Hamastan....as many of your cronies are not.
Roadman
Wed, Oct 5, 2011 : 4:38 p.m.
Why? Because the West Bank Palestinians remain under martial law and have no representation in the Knesset or any other form of meaningful national government. The West Bank is divided into military districts ruled by brigade commanders of the IDF. Even Arab citizens of Israel who can vote are effectively barred from social welfare programs and can be assigned to racially segregated units of the IDF. Only one Arab has been appointed to a Israeli Cabinet post in the last 61 years. Having a West Bank with free elections and no IDF occupation or checkpoints will benefit all. Jordan has done well with a representative form of government.
Roadman
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 11:37 p.m.
"...self-correcting judicial and political institutions." You are correct. In 1949 the arguments of religious leaders to have a government based on Talmudic law and other religious origins were rejected and the Basic Law became the secular constitutional structure that governs Israel. It was this law that authorized investgative bodies to probe controversial government conduct. It was the Basic Law that was the authority for convening the Winograd Commission who investigated the Second Lebanon War. Its report gave stinging criticisms of the performance of the prime minister, defense minister, and IDF chief of staff and directly led to the resignations of the latter two. The Winograd Commission findings were largely lauded by Sheikh Nasrallah of Hezbollah, who praised Israel for having an open government that could allow for such criticisms and indicated that Arab countries did not typically have such political mechanisms.
bedrog
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 11:46 a.m.
Roadman, in the chain of comments to the last main comment, mentions both the approval highplaced local Arabs (supposedly )have for the local synagogue picketers and the support of many local Jews for the Palestinian cause. If he is correct as to the former and unnuanced in the latter it is dismal testimony to the sad state true interfaith cooperation faces hereabouts . To my knowledge , though, there are only 3-4 arabs that colluded with the egregious synagogue harassers... and although it is true that many jews wish for a middle east peace that protects both parties ( and i'm one!) those of such one sided anti-israel malice as Roadman adulates are a tiny fringe group whose 'fringiness" ( on so many levels!!) is eloquently described by an escapee from their number see : "THE FEW AND THE JUST " in the Washtenaw Jewish News, feb 2010.....
BhavanaJagat
Sun, Oct 2, 2011 : 2:24 a.m.
Rebuilding the House of God in Jerusalem: Thanks for those kind responses to my post. I must clarify that the entity known as Israel existed for several centuries and long before the birth of the national entity in 1948. The desire to establish a homeland for Jews was expressed for a long time and it has a history of its own. Jews were expelled from their land and some of them had reached India long before European colonization. Some of these Kochi Jews have returned to Israel. The literary evidence from the Old Testament Books is very convincing and we have also evidence to show that Shahanshah Cyrus the Great, the Emperor of Persia had issued an edict to rebuild the First Temple in Jerusalem that was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylonia in 586 B.C. Over 40,000 Jews held captive in Babylonia were allowed to return to Jerusalem and the Second Temple in Jerusalem was built in 516 B.C. The Roman troops under the command of General Titus destroyed the Second Temple in 70 C.E. The remnants of this Temple still exist in Jerusalem. Jews are the only religious minority community in the world who have no Temple of their own. The word Synagogue must be carefully described as it is not the equivalent of Beth-El or House of God.
bedrog
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 8:26 p.m.
@demistify...in his lame response to you on Demjanjuk, our mutual friend 'roadman' once again confirms our contention ( and indeed reality) that israel is a country of laws and self- correcting judicial and political institutions ( as opposed to the lethal internal---and external--- mayhem of its neighbors , for whom roadman et al are unwilling to marshal a scintilla of criticism despite the crying need for it., and all their labored, cherry-picking 'truthiness" ( ala steven colbert). and roady: if an arab has not yet killed an Israeli judge it's not for lack of trying, via random missile firings and assorted indiscriminate terror attacks. Incompetence (at murder) is not the same thing as lack of lethal intent.
Roadman
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 8:05 p.m.
@demistify: Galling to admit? The Israeli High Court has cut down the executive branch if the Israeli government down to size many times. Most recently when it ruled to overturn an Israeli election commission ruling barring Arab List candidates from the Knesset ballot. No Arab has ever killed an Israeli judicial officer. John Demjanjuk is free while his controversial case is on appeal. Israel chose not to extradite or try him on the charges the German court did.
demistify
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 7:29 p.m.
Roadman, I suggest you curb your enthusiasm for John Demjaniuk. He was indeed acquitted by an Israeli court, based on a flawed identification. Incidentally, that demonstrates the fairness of the Israeli judicial system (which I suspect you would find galling to admit). With additional evidence which emerged later, he has since been convicted of war crimes in a German court.
bedrog
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 7 p.m.
Applause?? only in your own head ( as so much of your reality is). But do stay bowed over. We'll think of something to do that utilizes that posture.
Roadman
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 4:37 p.m.
You are very welcome (bowing to applause).
bedrog
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 11:20 a.m.
@ roadman...thanks for ,as ever, stengthening everything i say. The assassinations of Israeli by Israelis are again exceptions that prove only that such folks are criminalized by Israel instead of being adulated by them on both street and official levels...unlike others one could name, The approbation given by high placed Dearborn arabs to your harassing allies is ample testimony to why these little interfaith efforts are fighting a seriously uphill battle...a sad state to which you are a major contributor. I applaud your inadvertant efforts to confirm the alarming to reality of this situation , as i and a number of clear thinking others have been trying to do as well as you are well aware. .
Roadman
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 12:24 a.m.
You speak of "synagogue picketers". Metro Detroit's Palestinian-American community is well aware of the pickets and, in general, heartily applauds the leadership of Henry Herskovitz in those pickets. As they had Larry Hochman, the late civil rights attorney who lived on a kibbutz in Israel in the 1950s and later led the Hiller's Market boycott. Check the registered contributors of Palestinian-American civil rights activist and attorney Rashida Tlaib, elected to the Michigan House, and you will find significant support of Metro Detroit Jewish residents that help her get elected in her initial 2008 run. The pro-Palestinian movement enjoys good support from local Jewish residents - and its not just the synagogue picketers.
Roadman
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 12:12 a.m.
Israeli forbearance? What about the acts committed against some of Israel's most prominent statesmen and jurists? Comment on these: Meir Vilner, former Knesset member and one of the signators to the Israel Declaration of Independence - stabbed by right-wing activist in 1967 for his opposition to the Six-Day War; Adi Azar - Israeli federal judge - assassinated by suspected immigrant criminal gang member in 2004; Yoram Sheftel - Israeli criminal defense lawyer that successfully defended John Demjanjuk, alleged war criminal - had acid splashed in face by Holocaust survivor who was later sentenced to three years in prison; Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin - Nobel Peace Prize laureate - assassinated by Israeli law student Yigal Amir.
bedrog
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 10:06 p.m.
p.s. On the netanyahus: Ben zion netanyahu , academic father of Benjamin, comes by his militancy quite legitimately, his elder son---yonatan---being the leader (and a casualty ) of the heroic Israeli commando force who rescued airline passengers hijacked by Palestinian terrorists in the famous "raid on Entebbe" in which mad Ugandan dictator Idi Amin colluded with the hijackers.... (which on planet roadman is doubtless deemed praiseworthy). That said ( for the gazillionth time), P.M. Netanyahu--- his parentage notwithstanding-- has already acceded to a 2 state solution.... but only, and reasonably, after a negotiated settlement. What about that don't you understand ??
bedrog
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 9:53 p.m.
@roadman: so typical and unsurprising that you'd mention deir yassin...a notable exception ( to Israeli forbearance in the face of unrelenting provocation) that proves the rule ( of Israeli forbearance in the face etcetc).... A pattern in marked distinction to a population/ wider culture where such infamous acts against noncombatants, and heroization of their perpetrators, are cheered and glorified. See an excellent article in the "False Witnesseses" series In the WASHTENAW JEWISH NEWS from Feb 2010 ( "False witnesses II: the devil's in the details and vice versa") that details just how you and your colleagues utilize these exceptions for propaganda purposes to gull the uninformed...(of whom i am not one). Oh! you already have ( seen it ,that is).
Roadman
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 9:11 p.m.
I am glad you mentioned Prime Minister Netanyahu. His father, a retired university professor, is considered a "Revisionist Zionist" and believes in "Greater Israel". Menachem Begin considered him more right-wing than himself. Deir Yassin is an example of terror attacks taken by such organizations as the Irgun, Haganah, and Stern gangs. The Haganah eventually was absorbed as a key component into the IDF. Later came the Kibya massacre - so your citation of acts of rocketeers and suicideniks is not really nothing new from that region.
bedrog
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 7:53 p.m.
@ roadman: " worldwide applause" eh? Tell that to the rocketeers and suicideniks of Hamas...and the west bank al aqsa martyrs ( y'know from the 'moderate faction"). Israelis and their policies are mostly decent, but not stupid ..and properly follow the axiom " fool me once shame on you; fool me (alot more than) 2ce, shame on me". again: "yes ' to withdrawal, but not on faith alone, which has been so badly abused in the past ( with your evident approval) how can you post what you do with a straight face ( assuming you have one when you do)?? I sure don't when i read your stuff.
Roadman
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 5:45 p.m.
U.N. Resolution 242 of the United Nations Security Council called for withdrawal of Israeli forces from territory acquired in the Six Day War. Israel has ignored this for decades until Ariel Sharon endorsed and the Israeli government granted a unilateral withdrawal of its military forces and dismantling of Jewish settlements in Gaza - a move that won worldwide applause from the international community as well as most Israeli citizens. Another unilateral IDF withdrawal - this time from the West Bank would be most welcome from the worldwide community.
bedrog
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 11:12 a.m.
Although my previous comment to 'roadman' addresses his real agenda, for the sake of argument let's assume he really is talking only about the west bank... To him i ( and netanyahu ) would say "what about 'yes' don't you understand, ?? " ( although some serious fine tuning is needed via non- preconditioned face to face negotiations. (.as opposed to external , grandstanding fiat). Give it a rest.!
bedrog
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 10:41 a.m.
@roadman... "One ( arab dominated) state from the river to the sea" ...gee where have we heard that before?? Oh yeah .On signage carried by the tiny group of local synagogue picketers. Know em? ( rhetorical question). Give it up. Ain't happenin'.. ( one holocaust was enough). Mark that well.
Roadman
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 3:47 a.m.
Historically, the founder of Judaism, Abraham, was from Mesopotamia, in what is now Iraq, from a city that still exists today called Ur. He moved to and settled in the land to be called Israel and was buried in Hebron. Well prior to his settling there, ancient peoples already inhabited that area. It is an act of futility to argue what people are entitled to sovereignty to these areas based upon prior settlements. Israel has never annexed the West Bank because to do so would require conferring citizenship on hundreds of thousands of Palestinians there who live under martial law, and with that citizenship would come voting rights that would give a large degree of political clout to Arabs in that region. If Gaza, Israel, the West Bank, and the Golan Heights were consolidated into one political state and citizenship conferred on all its residents, the Arab population of that state would approach 50% and the Jewish political control over the area would be lessened considerably. Since 1967, the West Bank has been administered with welfare aid from Jordan, had churches and local officials carry out the incidents of a government - things such as land deed registration, marriage ceremonies etc. Israel has imposed martial law and had its "Civil Administration" and its military rule with an iron hand. The military of Israel is unwanted by Arabs in the West Bank as they are seen as occupiers. The key to a just resolution is granting all residents of these areas citizenship, an elected government, and protection against oppressive military occupation that has been ongoing for 44 years.
BhavanaJagat
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 4:50 p.m.
Revisiting the Birth of a Nation: The infant nation of Israel came under the attack of the combined armies of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq and Saudi Arabia soon after its birth. This historical act of aggression must be admitted by all of these States and they must recognize the Right of Israel to exist as a free and independent nation. Palestinians keep talking about construction activity in the areas captured by Israel after it had defeated its enemies. I want to ask about the construction activity at The Temple Mount, Jerusalem. An Islamic Shrine known as the Dome of Rock was built on the site of the Temple Mount during 691 C.E. The Al-Aqsa Mosque stands in the Temple Courtyard. These are illegal constructions over the land owned by Jews. I would not ask Israel to cease its construction activity if these illegal structures continue to exist in Jerusalem. If the Caliphate Army had a right to construct in occupied territory, the Jews have a similar right to build in areas they have occupied.
Roadman
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 8:54 p.m.
@demistify: Algerians were given a referendum before they were granted their independence in the early 1960s.
demistify
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 7:44 p.m.
Roadman, "The Arab response at that time was the U.N. mandated partition was illegal as Arabs were not consulted by referendum." An interesting response as i do not recall the Arabs being " consulted by referendum" before the recognition of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, etc. Oh yes, I do not remember a referendum when Hamas highjacked Gaza at the point of a gun. Nor do I recall your ever voicing an objection to that.
demistify
Sun, Oct 2, 2011 : 8:21 p.m.
@Roadman: Please explain your lack of concern when the Hamas mayor of Bethlehem proposed to build a mosque on Manger Square.
bedrog
Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 9:09 p.m.
p.s. to "Roadmans'( as always one-sidedly anti-israel riff): those he mentions as behind rebuilding the jewish temple at the expense of Al Aqsa are, and always have been, a small fringe constituency , and more Christian- american than Israeli or Jewish . Even the much maligned ( by Roadman) Ariel Sharon who flirted with them eventually wound up making huge territorial concessions to the palestinans by giving up Gaza , evicting Israeli settlers -- and getting Hamas rockets and terror- incitement in return. Similary an earlier "rightwing" israeli leader, menachim begin, gave up the Sinai to Egypt in return for a cold peace that is unraveling as we speak in the aftermath of the badly mis-named "arab Spring" , while Begins partner in peace died at the hands of extremists including Ayman al Zawahiri---the post bin laden head of al qaeda Worshippers of all faiths in Jerusalem are, and always have been, far better served by israeli control of the city than when sacred sites were in Arab hands. And Israelis will sensibly ignore any and all UN resolutions that restore a 'status quo ante' absent the hard face to face , non-preconditioned negotiations needed with their enemies. Where "we" go from here ( the title of the event being publicized) is irrelevant. What counts is where the Palestinians and israelis themselves go ...and that applies far more to the former whose misery is more acute than the Israelis' ( and will remain so ,if the right moves arent made by them). The UN thing is a sideshow as are discussions of it by non protagonists.
bedrog
Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 1:57 p.m.
@ roadman/ bhavana.... the justifications of both sides for unilateral occupation of the temple area have elements of irrational mythology behind them ( the muslim one being that the area was the runway for mohammed's magic flying horse, al burak, on his night flight to heaven. The jewish claims, while having their own ontological problems in terms of verifiable 'reality", are at least 1 and 1/2 millenia -older and thus do have greater "prior tenancy' validity, born out by hard and indisputable architecture.. In any case with jews controlling the area , as they do now, all faiths have greater access to their respective places of worship than was the case under arab dominance....and so it will remain, whatever the U.N does.
Roadman
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 8:12 p.m.
The Arab response at that time was the U.N. mandated partition was illegal as Arabs were not consulted by referendum. It would be tantamount to the United Nations voting to give Quebec back to the Iroquois Indians without consulting the Canadians first. David Ben-Gurion's quest for Israeli statehood was controversial among Jewish leaders of the era and was opposed, for example, by Marek Edelman, a Polish Resistance leader who was the sole surviving member of the military council that led the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. It was Ariel Sharon's role in the limited excavation of the Dome of the Rock area by Temple enthusiasts that precipitated the First Intifada. The Temple Institute and Temple Foundation, led by Rabbi Chaim Richman, have won worldwide support among Jews and Christians to rebuild the Jewish Temple and reinstitute the customs associated with it. This movement has been inflaming Muslims as it impliedly suggests destruction of the Dome of the Rock is needed to rebuild the Temple - the two are mutually exclusive.
bedrog
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 3:05 p.m.
This seems like a balanced panel.....i assume University security has been forewarned of the liklihood of disruption by known local extremists from one side of the issue, (which is not the israeli one!!). Here's where 'trespass' rules are appropriate.
Roadman
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 3:45 a.m.
If the General Assembly of the United Nations does vote to confer observer status to the State of Palestine, it will be tantamount to Abraham Lincoln issuing the Emancipation Proclamation - a legal instrument with great symbolism and noble intent to liberate an oppressed people - but will have very limited practical application absent a propitious unfolding of future events. Th humiliating West Bank IDF checkpoints, construction and developments in the West Bank and East Jerusalem will continue under the Likud-controlled government of Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu has recently received stern public rebukes by former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and the Turkish head of state for conduct that has served to further isolate Israel in the international community. Much of this relates to Israel's handling of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza - something Abbas has little control over and which any type of U.N. membership will do little to alleviate. I see virtually no chance of Security Council approval for full member status given the veto power of the United Stataes as a permanent member - even if Great Britain sides with Abbas. The U.S. can turn the financial screws on the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority by withholding foreign aid in retliation for Abbas' bid for U.N. recognition. United Nations action will be no panacea for the deadly gridlock that has gripped Palestinians since Abbas took office nor will it greatly affect the status quo that has been in place since the current Israeli government was swept into office. The great irony will be if Palestine achieves some sort of U.N.recognition during Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur as some have suggested may occur.
bedrog
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 11:16 p.m.
@ roadman...as usual ,you recall wrong.
Roadman
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 9:14 p.m.
As I recall, Israel did their own "sneak military attack" on June 5, 1967. And again on June 6, 1982.
demistify
Sun, Oct 2, 2011 : 8:14 p.m.
Yes, the Arabs do like to show their peaceful intentions on Yom Kippur. In 1973, they did so by launching a sneak military attack on Israel.