Palestinian Air

The gross ignorance displayed by current United Nations General Assembly President – Miguel D’Escoto Brockmann – highlights the difficulty in having any kind of rational discussion at the United Nations about finally resolving Jewish and Arab claims to the territory once called Palestine.

Speaking on the Question of Palestine at the 57th Plenary Meeting at UN headquarters in New York on 24 November – President Brockmann stated (apparently without anyone present attempting to correct him) :

“No amount of arm twisting and intimidation will change the Security Council resolution 181, adopted 61 years ago, calling for the creation of two states”

The President was demonstrably wrong in making this remarkable utterance.

Resolution 181 calling for the partition of western Palestine into one Jewish State and one Arab State was a resolution of the General Assembly not the Security Council. Being a General Assembly resolution it did not bind any member state of the United Nations – even those Arab States violently opposing it.

However many member states were concerned that Arab rejectionism of Resolution 181 could result in outright war and sought to qualify their support for Resolution 181 by seeking assurances that the Security Council would enforce the resolution once it was passed.

Resolution 181 therefore specifically requested

“The Security Council determine as a threat to the peace, breach of the peace or act of aggression, in accordance with Article 39 of the Charter, any attempt to alter by force the settlement envisaged by this resolution; “

The subsequent invasion of western Palestine in May 1948 by the armies of all the Arab League members (excepting Yemen) – signalled open defiance of Resolution 181 by the Arab League and exposed the Security Council as a toothless tiger unwilling to stop this clear act of aggression by the Arab League in its campaign to wipe out the nascent Jewish State.

Yet the opportunity presented by Resolution 181 could still have been translated into reality between 1948 and 1967 – after the Jews living in Gaza and the West Bank had been Read the rest of this entry »

One of the most popular countries in the Middle East, Palestine faces different social issues that can influence the nation?s past, present, and future economic state. For several decades in the 20th century, economics in Palestine is highly affected by its historical, military, and political backgrounds. However, to have a closer look and analysis at the present economic status of this country it is best that people assess the changes in its military conditions, relations with other nations, and historical events that gave rise to social conflicts that Palestine is presently dealing with.

Overview of the Relations Between Palestine and Israel

Economics in Palestine are highly affected and influenced by several historical events like the famous Holocaust. The rights to land, occupation, and settlements are some of the sources of conflicts between Palestine and Israel. Technically, the issues between these two countries started in the early 1900s when Great Britain was instructed through the historical Balfour Declaration to make Palestine as a national settlement of all Jews. Arabs in Palestine opposed the declaration and rioted against the entry of Jews in the country, which initiated conflicts between Israel and Palestine.

The Impact of International Politics on Economics in Palestine

Regarding economics in Palestine, people can expect that the relations of the country with nearby nations such as Israel have great impact on its financial state. One of the effects of war between these nations is the scarcity of water in Palestine, which affects the operations of numerous industries in the country. According to several social analysts and historians, Israel and Palestine used to share a source of water in the 1940s. However, when the conflict continues to heighten between the countries, Israel strategically reserves a great proportion of water since it is near to West Bank, the place where the nations get their water supply.

Additionally, because of the war between Israel and Palestine, investors and capitalists from other nations hesitate to put big investments and open numerous business establishments in Palestine. Moreover, the threatening relations of Palestine with Israel also affect the tourism sector of the nation. Because of this, a large proportion of Read the rest of this entry »