Comment & Debate
Carter says that today, Palestinian statehood is “a basic moral commitment” for the U.S.[1] President Obama said in his Cairo speech: “It is also undeniable that the Palestinian people — Muslims and Christians, have suffered in pursuit of a homeland. For more than 60 years, they’ve endured the pain of dislocation. Many wait in refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza and neighboring lands. … They endure the daily humiliations — large and small — that come with occupation. So let there be no doubt: The situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable. And America will not turn our backs on the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for dignity, opportunity and a state of their own.”[2]
Michael J. Weil. “Op-Ed: Israel should support the Palestinian statehood push.” JTA. September 12th, 2011: “As an Israeli and a Zionist, I have a moral duty to support any people that desires national self-determination. This was our dream for 2,000 years, and we began the journey toward realizing that aspiration in Basel 120 years ago. We achieved statehood in 1948, and yet we still struggle to have our right to self-determination accepted.”
Abbas: “I do not believe anyone with a shred of conscience can reject our application for full admission in the United Nations,” Mr. Abbas called eventual statehood “the realization of the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people.”[3]