On Nov. 29, 2012, the United Nations General Assembly voted to admit Palestine as a non-member observer step, a move that is widely being acknowledged as one that gives credit to Palestine and its efforts to achieve statehood.
As according to this new measure, Palestine will now be able to access United Nations (UN) agencies and international bodies. Most significantly, this new measure will enable Palestinians to more effectively respond to Israel in legal forums internationally, such as by reaching out to the International Criminal Court to demand investigation of Israeli wrongdoings.
“It’s definitely a step up for Palestine,” Young Song, LA Center for Enriched Studies senior, said. “But at the same time, it’s a problem for Israel and the US.”
Indeed, Palestine’s new status as a non-member observer state comes as a sharp diplomatic blow to the United States and Israel, both of which staunchly oppose Palestinian statehood. Canada, the United States and Israeli were the only major countries who voted for the measure to not be allowed to pass, with the exception of Britain’s and Germany’s abstinence from voting.
“In a way, however, it’s more a symbolic step than [a diplomatically powerful] one,” Song said. “There are still problems Palestine still has to address, and this measure has done nothing to change that.”
Indeed, Palestinians still face very real issues, and although a powerful symbolic step, its new status as a non-member observer state will have very little impact on the goals it aspires to achieve. Core issues, such as that of Israel occupation of Palestine, are still very much as raw as they have been previously. And the United States is responding harshly to these measures, taking steps to ensure that Palestine’s rights, even as a non-member state, will be limited.
Many in the US threatened to curtail foreign aid if Palestine attempted to reach out to the International Criminal Court.
The new measures have significantly strained Israeli and Palestinian ties. Israelis, in sharp opposition to the UN’s actions, declared that Palestine, if not anything else, will face more difficulties in achieving peace with Israel, given the new circumstances.
