By Hal Lindsey
The Hal Lindsey Report
In September, the Arab League and the Palestinians plan to ask the United Nations General Assembly to recognize the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem (including the Temple Mount) as the sovereign nation of Palestine. You talk about Pandora's Box or, at least, a can of worms! The General Assembly has no standing to make such a declaration legal, but it will still complicate Israel's affairs immensely.
The Palestinians also want to ask the Security Council - which is the real United Nations and does have some legal teeth - to formally recognize Palestine. President Obama has stated that the US will veto such a resolution, but then he and his administration turn around and use the possibility of a non-veto to bludgeon Israel into following his dictates.
One of those dictates is that Israel must apologize to Turkey for interdicting the blockade-busting "humanitarian flotilla" in June, 2010. If you recall, when the Israelis boarded the Mavi Marmara, they were attacked by Turkish thugs and hired mercenaries. Though the Israeli commandos were armed mostly with non-lethal weapons, in the ensuing battle, nine members of the flotilla were killed.
Although the United Nations and the West eventually confirmed that the Israeli-Egyptian naval blockade of Gaza was legal and the Israelis acted within their rights, President Obama is siding with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in demanding that Israel apologize. Of course, it cannot. To do so would be tantamount to an admission of guilt. But that's what Erdogan wants so he can use it to further delegitimize Israel in the eyes of the world and enhance his own standing in the Arab/Muslim world.
And guess what. The American administration is publicly hinting that if Israel doesn't apologize, then, according to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the White House might suddenly "find itself unable to continue building opposition to a unilateral Palestinian declaration of statehood at the UN...."
With friends like us....
Related Links
Obama to Israel: Apologize to Turkey, or else - Israel Today (Ryan Jones)
Turkey Considering Cut-Off Of Economic Ties With Israel - Eurasia Review
China, El Salvador to back PA's UN bid - YNet News
Surge in violence makes breaking Israeli-Palestinian deadlock more urgent – UN News Centre
Ahmadinejad: Palestinian statehood only 'first step' – Jerusalem Post
