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U.N. votes to upgrade Palestine's status

In a vote at the United Nations in New York on Thursday, the body granted Palestine the title of "non-member observer state". Palestinians celebrated the outcome, while the United States and Israel denounced it. 

The 193-nation U.N.听General Assembly听on Thursday overwhelmingly approved the de facto recognition of the sovereign state of Palestine after听Palestinian President听Mahmoud Abbas听called on the world body to issue its long overdue "birth certificate."

The U.N. victory for the Palestinians was a diplomatic setback for the听United States听补苍诲听Israel, which were joined by only a handful of countries in voting against the move to upgrade the听Palestinian Authority's observer status at the听United Nations听to "non-member state" from "entity," like the Vatican.

Britain called on the听United States听to use its influence to help break the long impasse in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Washington also called for a revival of direct negotiations.

There were 138 votes in favor, nine against and 41 abstentions. Three countries did not take part in the vote, held on the 65th anniversary of the adoption of U.N. resolution 181 that partitioned Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states.

Thousands of flag-waving Palestinians in the听West Bank听and the听Gaza Strip听set off fireworks and danced in the streets to celebrate the vote.

The assembly approved the upgrade despite threats by the听United States听补苍诲听Israel听to punish the Palestinians by withholding funds for the听West Bank government. U.N. envoys said听Israel听might not retaliate harshly against the Palestinians over the vote as long as they do not seek to join the International Criminal Court.

If the Palestinians were to join the ICC, they could file complaints with the court accusing听Israel听of war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious crimes.

U.S. Secretary of State听Hillary Clinton听called the vote "unfortunate and counterproductive," while the Vatican praised the move and called for an internationally guaranteed special status for听Jerusalem, something bound to irritate听Israel.

The much-anticipated vote came after Abbas denounced听Israel听for its "aggressive policies and the perpetration of war crimes" from the U.N. podium, remarks that elicited a furious response from the Jewish state.

"Sixty-five years ago on this day, the听United Nations听General Assembly听adopted resolution 181, which partitioned the land of historic Palestine into two states and became the birth certificate for听Israel," Abbas told the assembly after receiving a standing ovation.

"The听General Assembly听is called upon today to issue a birth certificate of the reality of the State of Palestine," he said.

Israeli Prime Minister听Benjamin Netanyahu听responded quickly, condemning Abbas' critique of听Israel听as "hostile and poisonous," and full of "false propaganda."

"These are not the words of a man who wants peace," Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office. He reiterated Israeli calls for direct talks with the Palestinians, dismissing Thursday's resolution as "meaningless."

ICC threat

Granting Palestinians the title of "non-member observer state" falls short of full U.N. membership - something the Palestinians failed to achieve last year. But it would allow them access to the ICC and other international bodies, should they choose to join them.

Abbas did not mention the ICC in his speech. But听Palestinian Foreign Minister听Riyad al-Maliki听told reporters after the vote that if听Israel听continued to build illegal settlements, the Palestinians might pursue the ICC route.

"As long as the Israelis are not committing atrocities, are not building settlements, are not violating international law, then we don't see any reason to go anywhere," he said.

"If the Israelis continue with such policy - aggression, settlements, assassinations, attacks, confiscations, building walls - violating international law, then we have no other remedy but really to knock those to other places," Maliki said.

In Washington, a group of four Republican and Democratic senators announced legislation that would close the听Palestinian office in Washington unless the Palestinians enter "meaningful negotiations" with听Israel, and eliminate all U.S. assistance to the听Palestinian Authority听if it turns to the ICC.

"I fear the听Palestinian Authority听will now be able to use the听United Nations听as a political club against听Israel," said Republican Senator听Lindsey Graham, one of the sponsors.

Abbas led the campaign to win support for the resolution, which followed an eight-day conflict this month between听Israel听and Islamists in the听Gaza Strip, who are pledged to听Israel's destruction and oppose a negotiated peace.

At least 17 European nations voted in favor of the听Palestinian resolution, including听Austria,听France,听Italy,听Norway听补苍诲听Spain. Abbas had focused his lobbying efforts on听Europe, which supplies much of the aid the听Palestinian Authority听relies on. Britain,听Germany听and others chose to abstain.

The听Czech Republic听was unique in听Europe, joining the United States,听Israel,听Canada,听Panama听and tiny Pacific Island states like听Nauru,听Palau听补苍诲听Micronesia听in voting against the move.

Palestinians rally听

Peace talks have been stalled for two years, mainly over Israeli settlements in the听West Bank, which have expanded despite being deemed illegal by most of the world. There are 4.3 million Palestinians in the听West Bank听补苍诲听Gaza.

After the vote, U.S. Ambassador to the听United Nations听Susan Rice called for the immediate resumption of peace talks.

"The听Palestinian people will wake up tomorrow and find that little about their lives has changed save that the prospects of a durable peace have only receded," she said.

She added that both parties should "avoid any further provocative actions in the region, in New York or elsewhere."

Palestinian Prime Minister听Salam Fayyad听said he hoped all sides would use the vote to push for new breakthroughs in the peace process.

"I hope there will be no punitive measures," Fayyad told Reuters in Washington, where he was attending a conference.

"I hope that some reason will prevail and the opportunity will be taken to take advantage of what happened today in favor of getting a political process moving," he said.

Britain's U.N. ambassador,听Mark Lyall Grant, told reporters it was time for recently re-elected U.S. President听Barack Obama听to make a new push for peace.

"We believe the window for the two-state solution is closing," he said. "That is why we are encouraging the United States and other key international actors to grasp this opportunity and use the next 12 months as a way to really break through this impasse."