Plan B Uniting for Peace Resolution
"Time to end Israel's stall and delay tactics on so called talks while they build settlements," Boyle says. We discuss history of the discussion on Palestinian statehood. Review of year long effort to get votes, UN Security Council, Israel, US, and Palestinian leaders.
TRT:29:00
Produced by Dori Smith
Music by Fritz Heede
Download at Pacifica's Audioport here or at Radio4all.net and Archive.org
Palestinians need statehood prior to any negotiations with Israel. As a result of peace agenda during Reagan years, the Palestinians began a "diplomatic dialogue" with the PLO, which means diplomatic de facto recognition that continues today. The status has been upgraded since then to the status of "observer state" which has been held by Switzerland in the past, prior to their UN membership. The Vatican also has "observer state" status.
"Time to end Israel's stall and delay tactics on so called talks while they build settlements, Boyle says. We discuss history of the discussion on Palestinian statehood. Historically Palestinian efforts to achieve more UN status has been met with strong opposition and even threats from the USA, specifically from former Ambassador Pickering.
Half hour Talk Nation Radio Special, An interview with Prof. Francis A. Boyle of the U. of Illinois School of Law, on Palestinian Statehood. He is author of the book, Palestine, Palestinians and International Law and served as a Legal Adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organization (from 1987) and the Provisional Government of the State of Palestine (from 1988) on the creation of the State of Palestine, its accession to the Geneva Conventions and Protocols, invocation of the Uniting for Peace Resolution, admission to the United Nations Organization, accepting the I.C.C.’s jurisdiction, etc. (See more on his bio bio)
He says the Palestinians have support for statehood in the U.N. General Assembly, which they already have as a "defacto" status. Once they do achieve statehood they will sign on to the International Criminal Court. We discuss the process in political context and get an update on events at the UN. We also learn more about what would happen after Palestinian statehood, including the Palestinians effort to join the ICC. We get an update on an investigation by the ICC (International Criminal Court), and hear how Israelis and the US media have ignored what has already been submitted to the ICC asking for an investigation and prosecution into the actions of Israel and their military.
Could a US veto be overcome by means of a Uniting for Peace Resolution? Attorney Boyle says yes, because the Palestinians already have Observer State Status and already filed a Complaint with the ICC, which is pending. The ICC prosecutor has publicly stated that he is investigating. Once they are able to obtain statehood, "they can lodge a state complaint against the highest levels of Israel that will perfect the complaint that the Palestinians have already filed.--Thus, full-fledged UN State Membership is now the only realistic option for Palestine and the Palestinians."
See Reuters, "U.S. tries to stall Palestinian statehood bid: report" September 3rd 2011, "Washington has launched an effort to avoid a clash stemming from plans by Palestinians to seek recognition as a state at the United Nations, The New York Times reported on Saturday, citing senior U.S. officials and foreign diplomats. --The Obama administration has introduced a plan to restart peace talks with Israel to try to convince Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to give up the bid to seek recognition at the annual meeting of leaders at the U.N. General Assembly, it said." More here.
