Recognition of Palestine

Of late, a kind of panic has gripped the Israeli establishment as Ecuador joins the growing ranks of South American countries that have accorded recognition to the state of Palestine. Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia gave formal recognition earlier this month, while Uruguay said it would do so early next year.
Such is the Israeli government fright that one of the cabinet members has called upon his government to restore the freeze on illegal constructions and settlements to bring the Palestinians onto the negotiating table. "I would not be surprised if within a year the entire world, even the US recognises Palestinian state, then we will have to explain how this happened," said the Israeli minister for trade and industry, Ben Eliezer. The Latin American states' move may tend to have a domino effect which the Israeli government is anxious to halt - sometime before the UN Security Council takes up an expected Palestinian move for United Nations' full recognition. Ben Eliezer says his government 'must do everything possible to get talks (with Palestinians) back on track, as diversion from the UN vote.
As the US-engineered peace parleys remain stalled, the Palestinian leadership is working hard to bring the issue of its recognition to the UN Security Council next month, when Bosnia-Herzegovina replaces the United States as president of the council. Last year, the UN General Assembly had adopted a Palestinian resolution by a vote of 165 to eight against with nine abstentions. But now that Latin American countries are also coming on the side of Palestine, the tally of its supporters in the world body is likely to register an increase, further constricting the circle of Zionist entity's friendship.
For how long the European Union and the United States and a few from Asia including Thailand, Singapore and Myanmar can hold back their vote from UN recognition of statehood for the people of Palestine is now only a matter of discussion - because public defence of Israel's continuing aggression is becoming increasingly difficult in these countries. The people world-over are troubled over the blatant Israeli refusal to halt illegal constructions - a small concession on its part to revive the peace process in the Middle East. Of course, Washington would like the Israeli government to stop these illegal constructions in order to resume negotiations but thanks to the hawkish elements in the Israeli government and the powerful Jewish lobbies abroad, it has failed so far.
The significant spurt in international recognition of Palestine must be reflected in the UN's working. Even if the US and a few others vote against the Palestinian resolution, the near unanimous expected UN vote for recognition of Palestine as independent state within its 1967 boundaries must fully restore the Palestinian rights in line with the established law that recognition is retroactive in effect and validates all actions and conduct of the government recognised from the very commencement of its existence. No wonder then that Saudi Arabia has warmly welcomed the South American countries' decision, and denounced the 'Israeli move to judaise Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque's surroundings'. Undoubtedly, the Palestinian resolution if adopted would undercut Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem.
The falsehood underscoring immoral and unethical positions the Zionist entity has been taking all these years - very often with the connivance of some Western governments - seems to be catching up as the world community begins to decide to stand by the side of the Palestinians. So, in the run-up to the Security Council expected vote on the Palestinian resolution the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) must take a clear and firm position by weighing in with the US and EU to effect flexibility in their stand on the question of Palestinian recognition. Given the mounting frustration inflicting the member-states that have diplomatic relations with Israel, the OIC has a challenge before it now. We expect the Organisation would come up to the hopes and aspirations of the Ummah.