A COLUMN DIVIDED: UN vote draws mixed reaction in US
From the left: Mike McPhie
The recent vote of the United Nations general assembly to recognize an upgraded status for Palestine presents the United States with a complex challenge. On one hand, the U.S. has a vested interest in defending Israel’s safety and stability in a volatile region. As we move beyond the era of intervention in the Middle East, it is important to maintain our alliances in the region. On the other hand, it is in the best interest of the U.S. to support the action of the global community, especially with our influential role on the U.N. Security Council.
Historically, our strong alliance with Israel has been a key to our foreign policy in the Middle East. However, recent events have also expanded the possibilities for diplomacy. The United States was quick to join with Egypt in brokering the ceasefire following the recent violence and Secretary of State Clinton played a visible and important part in the negotiations. This provided a beneficial position for us to act as an objective mediator while reinforcing our relationship with Israel, who publicly expressed their appreciation for our ongoing support.
Beyond the interests of the United States, the fact that 138 nations voted for Palestine’s upgraded status while only nine opposed it signified a global attitude toward the situation. With much of the world behind it, the promotion is likely to help Palestine to be more effective in their negotiations with Israel. Although the U.S. and Israel oppose the change, it is possible this could actually help both sides to achieve their goal of a two-state solution.
More than likely the vote is more of a symbolic gesture, the effects of which won’t immediately change the tense relations in the area. The significance is that the debate has turned toward a global stage. While the United States has long played a large and often heavy-handed role in Middle-Eastern affairs, it is interesting to see Egypt, which itself was at war with Israel several decades ago, as the chief broker of a ceasefire. It is also interesting that the overwhelming 138-nation majority favored an upgraded status for Palestine. It is highly unlikely that Israelis and Palestinians will overcome their hostilities in the near future, but the larger attention of the world and United Nations will certainly change the nature of the relationship.
Ultimately, the United States should focus on maintaining its friendship with Israel while trying to step into a role of mediator and broker of peace. The ceasefire agreement shows our ability to wear both hats and the overwhelming backing of Palestine from the U.N. demonstrates the world’s interest in furthering this issue through diplomacy. The U.S. should use its position in the Security Council to pursue peace and an ultimate solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict derived from the mutual interests of the two parties.
– Mike McPhie is a senior from Toole, Utah, majoring in law and constitutional studies. During the spring semester, he interned in Washington, D.C. Send him comments at mike.mcphie@aggiemail.usu.edu.
From the right: Casey Saxton
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been going on for decades. The two groups fight about a variety of issues. Perhaps the biggest of those issues include state borders and control of Jerusalem. The Palestinians were essentially given more credibility in their conflict with Israel with the recent United Nations General Assembly vote to make Palestine a nonmember observer state last week, the same status the Vatican City holds in the U.N.
Peace talks and conflict are a continuous cycle between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The recent upgrade given to the Palestinians strengthens their argument to become their own independent state but likely compromises peace talks in the long run because Israel opposes this.
The United States and eight other countries voted against the U.N. status upgrade while 41 abstained from voting and 138 nations voted in favor of the upgrade. The vote is a definite setback for the United States diplomatically. The U.S. views Israel as one of our closest allies, providing them with not only diplomatic support but military support over the years.
At the end of the day, the vote means essentially nothing for the situation on the ground in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It means nothing for lessening the violence between the two groups, because an agreement hasn’t been reached between the two of them. In retaliation to the vote, Israel has even authorized a housing expansion into some controversial areas, an indication that they don’t intend to back down from their current position.
Diplomatically, the Palestinians received a huge world endorsement – an endorsement Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said was counterproductive for peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis. The full effect of this go-ahead by the U.N. may not be seen for years, but if it is anything like any other action taken by the U.N., it is essentially meaningless. The U.N. has been trying to facilitate peace talks for years and has failed for years. I view their latest vote to make Palestine a non-member observer state as an additional failure because it will likely hurt peace talks and thrust the two groups back into conflict.
During a time when it would have been very easy to throw our friend Israel under the bus, I commend the administration, particularly Clinton, for standing up for Israel and the rights they have as a nation to defend themselves and their state borders from unfriendly, uncooperative neighbors.
– Casey Saxton, a sophomore majoring in business administration, is the president of the USU College Republicans. He can be reached at caseysaxton@hotmail.com.