The U.S. Supports the Arab Spring While Opposing Palestinian Rights

The double standard on Palestinian rights was again made clear after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton threatened to cut off funding to UNESCO if it accepted Palestine’s bid to join the organization as an independent state. The organization made this historic decision despite this clear political intimidation and agreed to admit Palestine, in what is the first diplomatic victory in the Palestinian people’s long and difficult path toward recognition of their political rights and the achievement of their goal: the declaration of a Palestinian state.

The American government has supported the rights of the Arab peoples who initiated political struggles for their rights and liberated themselves from authoritarianism in many countries, even to the point of leading a direct military intervention through NATO in the case of Libya. While these interventions were very important in supporting faltering Arab revolutions, the most important thing is that the U.S. government be committed to the same humanitarian standards in support of the Palestinian people who have endured an occupation for decades, the only people in the world still suffering from an occupation, while the U.S. still gives its support to the Israeli occupiers.

American support is still what grants Israel immunity for the ongoing occupation, or “Judaification,” through the building of settlements and the overstepping of all international standards and authorities. This support has continued even at the same time as the Palestinians and Arabs are sweet-talked by the U.S. government. However, at the key axes where their true intentions are visible, successive American administrations are always on the side of Israel.

This step in Palestine’s bid for U.N. membership has exposed many true positions, even in the context of the Palestinian political struggle itself. It has embarrassed many groups who had claimed to support the Palestinian people but when put to the test, took refuge in supporting Israel and attempted to delay the Palestinian demand.

Israel and the United States, in particular, will try to avoid any of the broad political repercussions that could result from the U.N.’s possible acceptance of Palestinian membership by continuing to work to prevent it, even with threats — as was the case with UNESCO. Other such gains could grant the Palestinians many political, diplomatic and legal privileges, and make the establishment of a state only a matter of time.

The general surprise of the Arab world at the U.S. government’s support for the popular Arab movements for freedom will again turn attention to America’s intentions if they hold to their usual position toward Palestinian rights. This is because the Arabs of Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Syria and those who demand freedom and democracy are the same as the Palestinian people who have struggled for independence for decades and have found nothing from the United States but enmity, double standards and direct and provocative support for Israeli occupation and oppression.