Full Membership in the United Nations for Palestine

Dallas Peace Center Middle East Peace Committee

Supports  Full Membership in the United Nations for Palestine

The Dallas Peace Center Middle East Peace Committee supports the full membership of Palestine in the United Nations. Full membership would not end the Israeli occupation or suddenly create a Palestinian state, but it will be a first step to enhancing the Palestinians' ability to seek freedom and justice.

We deplore the bullying tactics that the United States is using to defeat the Palestinian bid for full membership. Likewise we lament the United States' continued support of Israel's brutal treatment of the Palestinian people, and its disregard for international laws agreed upon at the Geneva Conventions.

Full recognition at the UN requires the approval of the Security Council, then approval of the General Assembly. Washington has repeatedly said that, if necessary, it would cast a veto. The U.S. has threatened that it will withdraw aid to Palestine if the Palestinians do not cancel their bid. The U.S. is also bullying other members of the Security Council to vote against the bid so that the U.S. would not have to use its veto power.

We are astonished that the U.S., which claims to value justice, self-determination and democracy, would blatantly set aside those ideals when a poor and beleaguered nation attempts to gain its freedom through peaceful and accepted means.

The U.S. is a beacon of hope for many people around the world. Behavior like this tarnishes our image and contributes to the decline of our reputation