Between Vetoes and Blackmail

Once again, the United States and some of its citizens have made it clear what side they’re on: the side of Israel, the side of injustice. They also made it clear over a month ago, when Palestine presented its petition for full membership to the United Nations and Washington returned to shielding itself with dishonest rhetoric and pressure with the intention of stopping this region from being recognized as an independent and sovereign State, because they know the risks this could pose for Tel Aviv, their loyal stronghold in the Middle East.

Faced with the fact that they are powerless to prevent Palestine’s admission as member number 195 of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Washington announced its retaliation Monday: the withdrawal of its financial contributions to this organization, which range up to $80 million annually or 22 percent of total funding. A real extortion!

This isn’t the first time the United States has resorted to fighting dirty. In September, the United States told Palestinians that it would cut aid if they insisted on petitioning for membership in the United Nations. The United States also announced that it would veto this petition in the Security Council, as it has done some 40 times in other matters related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in order to avoid isolating Tel Aviv.

Months earlier, in April, the ultra-reactionary chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Relations, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, threatened to take the same action if Fatah and Hamas formed a unity government when both parties declared themselves in favor of it, because, according to the she-wolf, “U.S. taxpayer funds should not and must not be used to support those who threaten U.S. security, our interests, and our vital ally, Israel.”

Repeatedly, Washington has resorted to the completely untenable argument that diplomatic actions in the United Nations will not help achieve peace in the Middle East, reasoning that this will only be achievable with negotiations in which American power participates as a sponsor. In their statements, U.S. and Israeli officials are trying to impose a conflicting, but non-existent relationship: negotiation versus recognition. In other words, if Palestine tries to seek legitimacy in the United Nations, it is “acting” against negotiation. Nevertheless, the dialog is at a standstill, and not just because of the Palestinians. It is Tel Aviv who is acting against the conflict’s solution by not stopping illegal settlements. And their response is to continually give the green light to more occupation. They also continue aggression and blockades against the Gaza Strip.

On the other hand, the Palestinians insist on participating in the negotiations, but they want to do it as an occupied state, and not in the name of an organization, as has been done up until now.

Being a member of the United Nations would enable Palestine to, for example, sue the Zionist government before the International Court of Justice, which can only try cases presented by one state against another, and which in 2004 issued an “advisory opinion” (which does not have binding effects) acknowledging that Palestinians have the right to a free decision, and ruled that the construction of the “Wall of Shame” seriously infringed upon the exercise of this right. It also declared the illegality of the Israeli colonial settlements and the annexation of East Jerusalem.

Furthermore, Israel would have to give up the false idea that Palestine is a “disputed territory” and would therefore be required to define its final borders and accept that historic Palestine must be shared by both nations with their respective states, as the United Nations declared in 1947, in Resolution 181.

Too many risks for the Zionist government. Because of this, the United States wants to avoid Palestine being recognized in the United Nations at all costs. To this end, they can only wear them down through intimidation and vetoes in the Security Council, because in the General Assembly, the most democratic structure in the United Nations, the majority applauds this just petition for membership. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organization, where this anachronistic veto is also non-existent, has already accepted it. This is the real voice of the international community.