Ahead Of UN Vote On Palestinian Statehood, Lawmakers Threaten To Cut Off Aid

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Ahead Of UN Vote On Palestinian Statehood, Lawmakers Threaten To Cut Off Aid « CBS New York




NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) – A bipartisan group of senators is warning the Palestinians that they could lose U.S. financial aid and face the shutdown of the Washington office if they use upgraded U.N. status against Israel.
Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Bob Menendez and Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and John Barrasso said Thursday that they would push for an amendment to the defense bill on the Palestinians.

The announcement came just hours before a likely vote in the United Nations recognizing the Palestinians as a state.

“We are committed to using every means at our disposal to ensure this U.N. General Assembly vote does not serve as a precedent for elevating the status of the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) and other U.N. bodies or international forums,” Schumer said.

With most of the 193 General Assembly member states sympathetic to the Palestinians, the vote is certain to succeed.

The legislation would cut off U.S. aid if the Palestinians use their newfound status to file charges against Israel in the International Criminal Court. Unwillingness to conduct meaningful negotiations with Israel would result in the closing of the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s office in Washington.

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“The path to a two state solution that fills the aspiration of Palestinian people is through Jerusalem and Ramallah, not New York,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said. ”We opposed Palestinians efforts to upgrade states outside the framework of negotiations to achieve a two-state solution.”

The vote is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

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[LAfrique]

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Ahead Of UN Vote On Palestinian Statehood, Lawmakers Threaten To Cut Off Aid « CBS New York




NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) &#8211; A bipartisan group of senators is warning the Palestinians that they could lose U.S. financial aid and face the shutdown of the Washington office if they use upgraded U.N. status against Israel.
Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Bob Menendez and Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and John Barrasso said Thursday that they would push for an amendment to the defense bill on the Palestinians.

The announcement came just hours before a likely vote in the United Nations recognizing the Palestinians as a state.

&#8220;We are committed to using every means at our disposal to ensure this U.N. General Assembly vote does not serve as a precedent for elevating the status of the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) and other U.N. bodies or international forums,&#8221; Schumer said.

With most of the 193 General Assembly member states sympathetic to the Palestinians, the vote is certain to succeed.

The legislation would cut off U.S. aid if the Palestinians use their newfound status to file charges against Israel in the International Criminal Court. Unwillingness to conduct meaningful negotiations with Israel would result in the closing of the Palestinian Liberation Organization&#8217;s office in Washington.

<snip>

&#8220;The path to a two state solution that fills the aspiration of Palestinian people is through Jerusalem and Ramallah, not New York,&#8221; Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said. &#8221;We opposed Palestinians efforts to upgrade states outside the framework of negotiations to achieve a two-state solution.&#8221;

The vote is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

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Unlike Israel, Palestine is and has always been a nation. The fact that some people are bent on promoting International land grab and creating undless conflict worldwide is not going to change this fact.

I wish people would realize that the US mostly supports Israel because it is in exactly the same predicament as Israel: If it were ruled that Israel indeed has no legit claim in Palestine, then native Americans and Mexicans in Southern US would be seeking redress of their own situation right here in North America.