Friday, November 30, 2012

Palestine State

The state of Palestine was created by the United Nations on November 29, 1947. It was a nation stillborn, dismembered by invading Arab nations bent on killing the nation of Israel in its cradle.

Jordan consumed much of the West Bank, including cities like Jericho, Ramallah and Hebron. Egypt took the Gaza Strip. What was leftover was absorbed into Israel.

Muslim residents of what became Israel were urged by Arab leaders to abandon their homes and move to refugee camps rather than live under Jewish rule as they had done peacefully under British rule and Turkish rule in the past. Most of these refugee camps continue to exist generations later.

I mention all this because yesterday on the 65th anniversary of UN vote that created the Jewish state of Israel and the Arab state of Palestine the United Nations voted to declare Palestine an "observer state."

The nine countries voting against included four Pacific island nations that are puppets of the United States. Canada, Panama, and the US had supported the 1947 resolution but opposed this iteration.

There is still no peace between Israel and Palestine but recognizing the state of Palestine is a past due act. While we are at it, let's recognize the independent nations of Scotland and Catalonia.

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