CrosswordNewsletters
DAILY BEAST
ALL
  • Cheat Sheet
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Entertainment
  • Media
  • Innovation
  • Opinion
  • World
  • U.S. News
  • Scouted
  • Travel
CHEAT SHEET
    POLITICS
    • Biden World
    • Elections
    • Opinion
    • National Security
    • Congress
    • Pay Dirt
    • The New Abnormal
    • Right Richter
    • Trumpland
    MEDIA
    • Daytime Talk
    • Late-Night
    • Fox News
    U.S. NEWS
    • Identities
    • Crime
    • Race
    • LGBT
    • Extremism
    • Coronavirus
    WORLD
    • Russia
    • Europe
    • China
    • Middle East
    SCIENCE
    • Hunt for the Cure
    • Rabbit Hole
    TRAVEL
      ENTERTAINMENT
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Music
      • Comedy
      • Sports
      • Sex
      • TDBs Obsessed
      • Awards Shows
      • The Last Laugh
      HALF-FULL
        CULTURE
        • Power Trip
        • Fashion
        • Books
        • Royalist
        TECH
        • Disinformation
        SCOUTED
        • Face Masks
        • Clothing
        • Technology
        • Bedroom
        • Kitchen
        • Home
        • Fitness
        • The Case For
        • I'm Looking For
        • New Kids On the Block
        COUPONS
        • Adidas Promo Codes
        • DoorDash Promo Codes
        • H&M Coupons
        • Hotwire Promo Codes
        • Wine.com Discounts
        • Vitacost Coupons
        • Spanx Promo Codes
        • StubHub Promo Codes
        Products
        NewslettersPodcastsCrosswordsSubscription
        FOLLOW US
        GOT A TIP?

        SEARCH

        HOMEPAGE

        The Good Life "Under The Bus"

        Palestine At The U.N.

        Ali Gharib

        Updated Apr. 21, 2017 3:14PM ET / Published Oct. 02, 2012 9:45AM ET 

        Maybe "Under The Bus" is the ironic name of some secret, luxurious social club none of us know about, and that's what Mitt Romney et al keep referring to when they say the Obama administration "threw" Israel there. Because this "under the bus" seems like a very cozy place to be.After Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced last week that he was seeking a scaled-back bid to upgrade Palestine's status at the U.N., the U.S. launched a diplomatic counter-offensive:

        The United States has warned European governments against supporting a Palestinian bid for enhanced status at the United Nations, saying such a move "would be extremely counterproductive" and threatening "significant negative consequences" for the Palestinian Authority, including financial sanctions.A U.S. memorandum, seen by the Guardian, said Palestinian statehood "can only be achieved via direct negotiations with the Israelis" and urged European governments "to support [American] efforts" to block the bid. The message was communicated by officials to representatives of European governments at the U.N. general assembly (UNGA) in New York last week.

        This is the most powerful country in the world spending political capital to block Palestine from achieving status as a "non-member observer" at the U.N. (something akin to the Vatican) because Israel doesn't want it. Diplomatic cover is a key component—perhaps the most important one—of U.S. support for Israel (along with robust aid and security cooperation, which are both at unprecedented levels under the Obama administration).And for what is the U.S. doing this? Because Israel fears that "non-member observer" status will give Palestinians access to the International Criminal Court (ICC), where they could press cases against Israel. Of course, ICC access, subject to the normal restraints, would also be a feature of a Palestinian state created by direct negotiations with Israel, which, contra the U.S. memo, is not only not the sole way for Palestinians to get statehood but a de facto endorsement of the deteriorating status quo.Immunity from the reach of international law? Tons of dough and other security help? Perhaps the most robust diplomatic cover in international fora ever afforded one country by another? "Under the bus" never sounded so good.

        READ THIS LIST

        DAILY BEAST
        • Podcasts
        • Cheat Sheet
        • Politics
        • Crime
        • Entertainment
        • Media
        • Covid-19
        • Half Full
        • U.S. News
        • Scouted
        • Travel
        • Subscription
        • Crossword
        • Newsletters
        • Podcasts
        • About
        • Contact
        • Tips
        • Jobs
        • Advertise
        • Help
        • Privacy
        • Code of Ethics & Standards
        • Diversity
        • Terms & Conditions
        • Copyright & Trademark
        • Sitemap
        • Coupons
        © 2022 The Daily Beast Company LLC