After All the UN Speeches Will Anything Change?

By week’s end all the speeches at the opening for the General Assembly of the United Nations will have been spoken, all the rallies finished screaming, all the banners and signs put away, and only the final press reports will remain to be published. Very few if any minds will have been changed. Iran will still be spinning their centrifuges as fast and as many as possible while calling for an end to Zionism and America as is required of any leader of the Islamic world. Egypt will continue to appear just friendly enough to keep the United States bountiful taps open and pouring forth cash while Egypt creeps ever more solidly towards their Islamist goals with their eye on the top position. Turkey will continue its slide towards their goal of becoming the new leader of the united Islamic world. Iraq will continue to speak with one voice to their American benefactors as the infidel troops slowly depart while cozying up to Iran allowing Iranian supply trucks carrying the troops and weaponry across to supply Syria with their lifeline. And President Bashar Assad will continue the carnage refusing to surrender as to do so would likely cost him his life. Europe will continue their monetary game of kick the Euros in attempts to infuse funds to stave off a total collapse of the European Union and with it the Euro itself. Israel will still be drawing red lines in the sand while the leader of the United States continues his Mr. Magoo imitation concerning the Iranian nuclear weapons program. And the major news outlets in the United States can return to full time coverage of the November Presidential Elections issuing meaningless polls even through the day when the only poll that actually matters is ongoing. Just as the ancient Chinese curse goes, we do indeed live in interesting times.

 

There actually will be one demand made which might actually have a direct influence on the future, possibly even the near future. While most of the experts and talking heads are chasing every rumor that claims that an Israeli strike on the Iranian nuclear sites is imminent, a real challenge which could force a Middle East conflagration is taking place a lot closer to Israel. During his speech, Mahmoud Abbas will likely demand that the General Assembly grant the Palestinian Authority recognition as a non-member State in the United Nations which is a step above their current classification as a non-member observer in the United Nations. Abbas will likely point to the Palestinian Authority membership in UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) which was approved shortly after the failed attempt last year by Abbas to attain full member State in the United Nations in the Security Council. Should he succeed, then we can expect an even more vigorous world tour by Mahmoud Abbas collecting recognition as a full-fledged State and exchange of Ambassadors wherever possible in an attempt to then use these ties to force Israel to surrender everything back to the Green Line, also known as the 1949 Armistice lines which even the Arab League demanded never be used as a border. This would entail the demolition and relocation of close to three-quarters of a million Jews from beyond the Green Line and East Jerusalem. This would also remove access for Israelis to any parts of the Old City of Jerusalem, the Temple Mount, and the Kotel (the Western Wall and the Plaza adjacent to the Wall). This would also mean the surrender and likely destruction of the industrial parks and vineyards and wineries in the ensuing riots if things go as they did in Gaza when the greenhouses were left intact for Palestinians to use. The greenhouses were destroyed and their pipes turned into rockets and mortar tubes and rocket launchers which were then turned on Israeli civilians living within range of these weapons in Gaza. This would also result in thousands of Palestinian Arabs losing their jobs and source of income as well as the University in Ariel would also be closed and half of its students are Palestinian Arabs who would no longer be receiving their education. But such sacrifices are right and proper as by this means the Palestinian forces will be better able to shut down all of Israel from the Judean Hills and soon be able to gather forces to finish off the Jews and Israel once and for all. Apparently any sacrifice must be made for the cause.

 

Should the General Assembly grant the Palestinian Authority recognition as a State, a near certainty when one figures the near unanimous support coming from the 120 nations of the Nonaligned Movement (NAM), it will start a ball rolling which can only lead to one finality, another Arab-Israeli War. The only possible benefit from such an eventuality would be should Israel be victorious and retain control over all the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea including the Golan Heights, then the seemingly endless Peace Process will have come to a conclusion. Israel would be entitled to retain these lands after having once again gained them in a defensive war. One might ask how I can be so sure such a war would be a defensive war and not initiated by Israel. My certainty is simple to explain. Should the Palestinian State come into being resultant to the United Nations General Assembly and the cooperation of sufficient nations to force the issue, then one of two scenarios will result. The first and less likely scenario would have the Palestinian Authority ruling over a peaceful State preventing any terrorist attacks from being perpetrated against their neighboring State of Israel while also allowing for Israelis with the proper authorizations to visit Jewish Holy Sites just as Palestinians will be allowed to transit between Gaza and the West Bank in a similar manner. That does not necessarily mean a total absence of terror attacks as to expect such would be ridiculous, though a preferred result. What I mean is that any terror attacks that occur will be the exception and the ruling Palestinian Authority would prosecute and take the necessary steps to minimize and discourage any such attacks. Should this be the situation, then there would be no conflict.

 

The other scenario would be having condition similar to what currently exist between Gaza with Hamas, Islamic Jihad, al-Qaeda in Gaza and other terrorist entities launching multiple rocket and mortar attacks every week seldom ceasing their assaults. This would include any form of terrorist or military attack such as the raids that have recently come from out of the Sinai Peninsula and the tunneling from Gaza and other attempts at infiltration in order to set off explosives, either remote detonation or suicide attack. Should the Palestinian Authority State allow a free fire set of conditions to exist threatening daily life, flights from Ben Gurion International Airport, manufacturing, power plants, electrical and water distribution systems, or the general safety of Israelis in their everyday living, these actions are a casus belli for war and any response to such provocations would be considered a defensive war under International Law and the Geneva Conventions. One would hope and pray that the first scenario would be the result and it actually would become two states for two peoples living side by side in peace, security and mutual prosperity. 

 

There is hope that peace will result should the United Nations decide to assist the Palestinian Authority in avoiding negotiations.  Instead of seeking a compromise with Israel, the Palestinian Authority is choosing to use the blunt force of a United Nations edict in place of responsible consent between two sides, Israel and the Palestinians. Still, should a peace result replete with mutual respect, freedom of movement for reasons of religious observances, family unity, commerce and mutual beneficial interactions and trade, then a positive and productive end will have been attained. If, on the other hand, belligerence, denial, hard-heartedness and violence be the result from either side, then the world owes the side pursuant of peace and the victim of any violence both an apology and support in establishing conditions of peace and security no matter what extent efforts must reach. I have serious doubts but also reserve a large amount of hopes and prayers that a serene and mutually beneficial relationship can be attained. All it will take is mutual respect and a mutual effort to bridge any differences and extend the hand of friendship. Sometimes the simplest things are the most difficult to achieve and calming the stormy waters that have existed for decades if not centuries is not an easy task. But like anything worthy of effort, this too starts with simply starting each day deciding that today will not be the day I resort to violence and hatred, today will be another day where I treat my neighbors as full-fledged human-beings with more in common with me than what makes us different, and different does not have to mean we be lacking in mutual respect and acceptance. One day at a time and soon it will feel normal and become easier with each successful day. We can hope and pray and these things work best if we hope and pray together in harmony.

 

Beyond the Cusp