U.N. should butt out of Israeli-Palestinian conflict

[Geee]

Washington Times:

The United Nations last week voted overwhelmingly to recognize the Palestinian Authority as a nonmember observer state of the world body. The vote was not even close — 138 delegates in favor of the measure, nine against and 41 abstaining.

Despite a cease-fire reached between Israel and Hamas, the Middle East remains volatile. Making the Palestinian Authority a nonmember observer merely endangers an already shaky peace process.

The United States voted against such recognition. It has been clear from the beginning that the Palestinian Authority is seeking the benefits of statehood without any responsibility. A state is, by definition, a geographic territory with a sovereign government, yet the Palestinian Authority admits to not knowing the location of its borders. It is impossible to have a state that cannot define its own land.

The Palestinians previously agreed in the Oslo Accords to negotiate statehood issues with Israel. This latest move is the equivalent of walking away from the negotiating table (which already was in pieces from Hamas attacks). The Palestinians take for granted the help Israel gives to their economy, including more than $100 million a month in taxes and allowing more Palestinians to travel to the West Bank. Israel is not holding up the peace process. Palestinian Authority officials think their newfound title will give them an even stronger bargaining position in their negotiations with Israel, but recognition from a biased international body will do nothing to advance peace.