Palestine - hands up those who hate Jews

The Jew-hating genie has been spectacularly unleashed onto the world stage once again following the decision by 138 of the 193 member states of the United Nations General Assembly to accord non-member observer State status to the non-existent state of Palestine.

That vote also ominously endorsed another paragraph contained in the Resolution reaffirming

...[T]he right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to independence in their State of Palestine on the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967...

Such majority consensus supporting the view that all of this territory - not just some part of it - should comprise the State of Palestine - is destined to cause untold suffering among Jews, Arabs and other States caught up in the ensuing turmoil and conflict that is set to follow the passing of this insidious resolution - unless it is quickly reversed.

There are several reasons to justify this gloomy prediction.

Firstly - these 138 States were effectively signing the eviction notices for 600000 Jews who have been legally living in these areas for up to 40 years pursuant to the rights conferred on the Jewish People under Article 6 of the Mandate for Palestine and Article 80 of the United Nations Charter.

Jews had been living in these same areas for many decades and in some cases centuries until they were driven out by six invading Arab armies in 1948.

Jews had returned there to settle after the Six Day War in 1967 - ending 19 years of uninterrupted occupation by Jordan and Egypt.

8000 Jews moved or were forcibly removed from Gaza in 2005 in a fruitless effort to advance the peace process.

Now all Jews in these territories will once again have to voluntarily pack up and get out or be forcibly removed by the Government of Palestine.

Palestinian President and PLO Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has made this "Judenrein" (Jew-free) objective and its successful implementation very clear - telling reporters in Ramallah on 25 December 2010:

We have frankly said, and always will say: If there is an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, we won’t agree to the presence of one Israeli in it...

Supporting the current Resolution without seeking a specific retraction has effectively given Abbas the green light to pursue his racist policy.

Secondly - there is no mention in the Resolution of the recognition of the right of the Jewish people to self- determination and independence in their own State - and for good reason - since President Abbas is not prepared to countenance a Jewish State alongside the State of Palestine.

He has made this position manifestly clear on many occasions.

On 1 December 2007 he declared:

Historically there are two states, Israel and Palestine. Israel is inhabited by Jews and others. We are willing to recognize that and nothing else.

His view was supported by his Prime Minister - Salam Fayad - who said in an interview at the time with Al-Arabiya TV, that:

Israel can call itself whatever it wants, but the Palestinians will not recognize it as a Jewish state.

On 28 August 2011 during a speech to Islamic clerics in Ramallah Abbas defiantly stated:

The international community cannot force us to recognize the nature of the Israeli state. Do not force us to recognize a Jewish state. We will not accept it.

His statement provoked Israel's Foreign Minister Liebermann to declare:

Countries around the world must make it clear to Abbas that the only way the Palestinians will be able to have a state is by stopping their attempt to destroy the only Jewish state in the world...

Those countries around the world had their opportunity force Abbas to recognise the Jewish State before casting their votes - yet failed to do so.

Thirdly - this infamous Resolution negates the decision of the very same General Assembly in 1947 recommending the creation of one Arab State and one Jewish State in Palestine.

Indeed the refusal to recognize Israel as the Jewish State has been one of the principal stumbling blocks to the successful conclusion of negotiations under the Oslo Accords and the Bush Roadmap.

The majority vote has - deliberately or unwittingly - given oxygen to those who continue to deny the right of the Jews to have their own State - 65 years after the United Nations had first recommended it.

Fourthly - this Resolution makes a mockery of the United Nations Charter which aims:

To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace...

How any member State can believe these objectives can be advanced by supporting a resolution that will result in:

1. Jews being denied any right to live in the State of Palestine as equal citizens in that State and
2. The Jewish People being denied the right to independence and self-determination in their own State alongside the State of Palestine

- is totally beyond comprehension.

The passing of this Resolution is bound to set in train acts of aggression and breaches of the peace as the State of Palestine and its supporters - armed with the text of this Resolution - flex their collective muscles to undo decisions and actions undertaken pursuant to:

• the San Remo Conference and the Treaty of Sevres in 1920,
• the Mandate for Palestine in 1922,
• The granting of independence to Transjordan by Great Britain in 1946
• Article 80 of the United Nations Charter
• The United Nations decision to partition Palestine in 1947
• Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338
• The Oslo Accords1993
• The Bush Road Map 2004

Abbas says he now wants to resume negotiations with Israel after his unilateral and ill-advised foray into the United Nations.

What is there to negotiate about but the terms on which those 600000 Jews must leave the State of Palestine and their possible relocation to a State where the Jewish people has no right to independence and self determination.

That is the political and diplomatic nightmare that 138 countries have foisted on the world.

Hopefully those 55 nations that failed to swallow this poisoned pill will take steps to have the General Assembly negate this Resolution - as happened when a Resolution equating Zionism with Racism was rescinded.

The sooner this latest Resolution endorsing policies of hatred against Jews is reversed - the better.