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The UN and the Palestinian lost hope in a state by S. Rami

UN Resolutions and Palestine

Peace Proposals

In November 29, 1948, the United Nations took unprecedented step and decided in resolution 181 the partition of Arab Palestine into two states, one Jewish and the other Arab. The victorious powers in World War II, lead by the USA allotted 56 per cent of the country to the Jews who took over other 22 per cent before accepting a truce with neighboring Arab countries. Only the Jewish State of Israel came into being, as the UN hastened in recognizing it, leaving the Palestinians, now turned refugees, roaming all corners of the earth lingering in tents and makeshift shelters waiting for their state as decided by the same fateful resolution 181.

Some fifty years later, the Security Council (SC) of the UN stirred the subject of the overdue Palestinian state.

Adopting resolution 1397 (2002) by a vote of 14 in favour to none against with 1(Syria), the Council affirmed a vision of a region where two states, Israel and Palestine, lived side by side within secure and recognized borders.

The resolution recalled all its previous relevant resolutions, in particular resolutions 242(1967) and 338(1973).

The new resolution failed to mention resolution 181 in accordance with the realities created in the aftermath of Oslo Accords (1993) between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, now considered as non-existing by Sharon. 

However, the resolution welcomed and encouraged, in its preamble, the diplomatic efforts of special envoys from the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations and others, to bring about a comprehensive, just and lasting peace.

The four mentioned partners turned to be the ‘Quartet’ group who met earlier this month in New York to discuss Mid-East peace, and more specifically in a place that once called Palestine. The bottom line highlighted by the quartet’s meeting was the creation of a new body, lead by Washington, to deal with the Palestinian conflict with a minimum and rather a symbolic role for the UN who created the Jewish state in war-ridden Palestine, but failed to deliver on the Arab state of Palestine.

The chronic and striking failure of the UN on the subject of the Palestinian state has contributed to the suffering of daily bleeding Palestinians facing bare-handedly the ferocity of Israel’s occupation. Moreover, the handcuffed UN and the Security Council by American pro occupation policy has complicated the conflict to the benefit of the fanatic and extremist leaders of the Jewish state, ruled by Sharon who is viewed by Bush as a man of peace! While the time is rolling on, Israel, and consequently its ruling adventurers as Sharon, acquires more and more sophisticated weapons to be added to its insatiable military arsenal. No wonder in such circumstances that Israel is increasingly watched with awe on part of every Arab or non-Arab state in the Middle East.

The general feeling among the Arabs and others in the Middle East that America has created a monster in their midst, and in no way the world community represented by the UN is in a position to reign in this monster.  

With all cards left by Bush in the hands of Sharon, the creation of a mini- Palestine state in lands occupied 1967 remains a remote dream without changing the facts on the ground of this troubled region.