(Ha'aretz) Shlomo Shamir - Diplomats in the UN said some countries will support the Palestinian statehood bid not because they believe in their cause, but because Muslim and Arab countries may take punitive measures against them when they will need support in the Security Council or in bids to be appointed to important UN bodies. Diplomats have pointed to Australia as an example of this intimidation. Australia is pushing its nomination for a seat on the UN Security Council next year, and is expected to weigh its steps carefully so as not to anger the Muslim and Arab nations and the Nonaligned Bloc. Canada failed in promoting its nomination for a seat, not least because of its support for Israel. The Palestinian bid is not very popular among diplomats, who say it is "a nuisance we would like to have behind us."
2011-09-15 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive