Palestinians Seek Statehood from United Nations Assembly

Official status as a country could cause legal and diplomatic problems for the country of Israel, which has occupied Palestinian territory since a war against its Arab neighbors in 1967.

On Wednesday, President Obama addressed the United Nations and laid out the dilemma for the U.S. and the world.

The U.S. will oppose the Palestinian’s request

	Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that the Palestinians, like every nation, deserve independence.

After 20 years of failed negotiations and economic devastation, Palestinian officials are aiming for a different approach that includes international recognition and clearly defined borders of two separate states.  

"What I will take to the U.N. will be the suffering and concerns of our people that have been taking place over 63 years living under the occupation," Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in a speech from his office in the West Bank city of Ramallah, referring to the formation of Israel in 1948. He added that the Palestinians, like every nation, deserve independence.

The United States will oppose President Abbas’s effort. “The issue is not simply that action in New York will not bring peace and stability, but it will create more distractions toward achieving that goal, which is certainly the commitment of the Obama administration,” said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

President Abbas will ask for pre-1967 borders, specifically East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. Over the last 40 years, more than 500,000 Israelis have settled in those areas.

There is widespread international support for the formation of a Palestinian state, but the request would have to pass the five-member Security Council, where the United States has veto power.

Palestinian rights vs. Israeli security

	Israeli officials want to control Israeli-Palestinian borders due to fear of attacks from militant groups, however Palestinians are against this.

Israel and the United States are the most vocal opponents to an internationally recognized Palestinian state and have expressed that only a negotiated agreement can end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

 While Israel initially accepted the idea of an independent Palestinian state, Israeli officials want to maintain control of Jerusalem and let settlers remain in their current locations. Officials also want to control the borders due to fear of attacks from militant groups. This offer has been rejected by Palestinians.

Israel also maintains that while it can negotiate with Abbas, his moderate Fatah Party only controls the Palestinian government in the West Bank. Hamas, a more militant organization that does not recognize Israel’s existence, was elected by the Palestinian people and controls Gaza.   The European Union, U.S. and Israel label Hamas a terrorist organization.

A tricky political position for the Obama administration

	The United States has threatened to veto the statehood proposal if it comes before the U.N. Security Council.

U.S. officials have vowed to veto the request for statehood, which could be detrimental to current fragile Arab relations, especially in Egypt, Libya and Syria, where the Obama administration supported democratic uprisings.

President Obama spoke at the U.N. against the Palestinians' bid, insisting that Israel and the Palestinians need to reach a formal peace agreement instead of taking a "shortcut."

"Palestinians deserve to know the territorial basis of their state. I know that many are frustrated by the lack of progress. I assure you, so am I. but the question is not the goal that we seek, the question is how do we reach that goal. And I am convinced that there is no shortcut to the end of a conflict that has endured for decades," the president said.

How does a territory become recognized by the U.N.?

	Vatican City is the only sovereign state with general international recognition that is not a UN member.

In order for Palestine to become recognized as an independent state, a vote on full membership to the U.N. would have to be referred to the Security Council.

A vote to confer “observer state” status for Palestine would grant it the same level of membership as the Vatican (and probably allow it to join other treaty based organizations) but would not require any action by the Security Council. President Abbas has made it clear he is only interested in full membership.

After a General Assembly vote, the Security Council would take some time to act on the resolution. In order for the resolution to pass, the Security Council requires nine affirmative votes and no vetoes. Only if other members abstain from voting would the United States avoid vetoing the resolution and potentially damaging relationships with Arab countries.

What happens next?

	Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas spoke to the U.N. about the Palestinians' proposal.

Palestinian leader Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu both addressed the U.N. General Assembly about the Palestinians' proposal.

"The time has come for my courageous and proud people, after decades of displacement and colonial occupation and ceaseless suffering, to live like the other peoples of the Earth, free in a sovereign and independent homeland,” Abbas said.

Netanyahu called for peace between Palestinians and Israelis but said it should be established through direct negotiations.

“Peace must be anchored in security," he said. "We cannot achieve peace through U.N. resolutions but only through direct negotiations between the parties.”

The Security Council will examine the Palestinians' bid and vote on it. In order for it to pass, it would need the support of nine out of 15 council members, with no vetoes from the permanent members.

The process could take weeks or months to complete, and some alternatives have been proposed, such as French President Nicolas Sarkozy's suggestion that Palestianians accept an 'enhanced' member status in the U.N. while further negotiations take place.