A Merry Christmas from UN and Obama to Palestinians

Editor: “Unless America adopts an ‘Even Handed’ policy towards the Arabs, there would be no Peace in the Middle East”.

The above statement was made publicly by the then Governor of the State of Pennsylvania Bill Cransteon, about 50 years ago.{{more}}

For whatever reason(s) I have neither tried to remember or forget that statement.

The reaction to it was Governor Bill Cransteon was hostile towards Israel. Equally too, at that time and perhaps even now, it is to a large extent unthinkable that anyone with aspiration of becoming a US president could succeed without pledging to defend Israel even at the expense of ‘E Pluribus unum’ (out of many one).

About two days before the 2016 Christmas, President Barack Obama, before the United Nations Security Council, did what no other President of the United States of America has ever even thought of doing. Demonstrated the true and accepted meaning of democracy – by parting company with the use of the “The Veto Power”.

Effectively, he allowed the voices of the members of the Security Council to be heard. They concluded that Israel has been building and continues to build settlements on lands that belong to the Palestinians.

Perhaps the most intriguing thing in the present situation is many years ago an Israeli Prime Minister and the leader of the Palestinians signed on to a ‘Two State” agreement. Unfortunately, that Israeli Prime Minister was murdered shortly after in his own country by one of his very own.

If nothing else, that statement by the Governor of the State of Pennsylvania demands reflection, even though it was 50 years ago.

SM Quammie