0 Palestine's dilemma

An electrifying drama is being played out now at the UN Headquarters in New York.

On one end is a state called Palestine. On the other end is a Zionist entity which has the trappings of a state called Israel. The entity is nervous.

UN Headquarters New York

This September, when the UN General Assembly is convened, Palestine will bid for UN membership. Israel will block this attempt. But she might not be alone in this effort. The United States will also be with her.

It is inconceivable that both these states will allow Palestine to be a member of the UN on her own volition.

But why is Palestine seeking membership to the UN now and on her own steam?

Ever since 1988 when the Palestine Authority started representing the interest of all Palestinians around the world, it has been able till today to get 122 countries to recognise Palestine as a state.

But in the last six months, many more countries have agreeded to grant her statehood.

In addition, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain and the UK have upgraded the Palestinian General Delegations in their capitals to diplomatic missions or embassies. Such a status is normally reserved for states.

Mahmoud Abbas, Chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and President of the Palestinian National Authority (PA) has been encouraged by this development.

He wrote a post-editorial article in the New York Times on May 17 this year, saying: "This September, at the UN we will request international recognition of the State of Palestine on the 1967 border and that our state be admitted as a full member of the United Nations."

Thus Mahmood Abbas has outlined the Palestinian Authority's two-pronged strategy. First, to seek international recognition of Palestine as a state, and then her membership to the UN.

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