Slowly more and more countries are beginning to recognize Palestinian Statehood.
Lines are being drawn as, internationally, the peoples' perception of Israel and what is really happening there opens more and more eyes. The chess game of international maneuvering goes on.
In a serendipitous fashion, this change is due partially to the Gazan Holocaust, Operation Lead.
Until then, the Jewish media had a very tight hold on all impressions of Palestine that reached the other world. Needless to say, "Poor plucky little Israel" was surviving against great odds in a desert of terrorist Arabs, especially those crazed Palestinians.
It all changed with Operation Lead. Israel lost a major battle. They may have killed many and worked their satanic evil, but they lost the battle of hearts, the public relations war.
"They started it!" (even though they did not) cannot hold water when one has visions of terrified and dead civilians to compete with. When the bombing began I watched it from a tower in Gaza on an Arabic site. All such towers were bombed fast of course. But cell phones, cameras, reporters within Gaza, got the true news and photographs out. Israel lost control of the media.
As a result people began to see ~ really see ~ reality in Palestine. And although the horrors still go on, although so much of the world seems to still be sleeping on this issue, very slowly things are changing. There is a long long way to go, but EVERY step counts. Thank you Chile!
By GIL SHEFLER
01/07/2011
01/07/2011
Chile has decided to officially recognize Palestine as an independent state, following in the footsteps of several other Latin American countries. After day of conflicting reports, Chile says it acknowledges "free, independent, Palestinian statehood, coexisting in peace with Israel.
On Friday, Foreign Minister Alfredo Moreno announced that Chilean President Sebastian Pinera's government has officially recognized Palestine as a state based on the 1967 borders. He added that President Pinera plans to visit Israel and the Palestinian territories on March 4 and 5.
"Chile has recognized the Palestinian state as a free, independent and sovereign state," Chilean President Sebastián Piñera announced. "In this way we contribute to that end may exist in the Middle East, a Palestinian state and a state of Israel that can live in peace and prosperity and recognized frontiers with secure borders."
While the proclamation was nuanced stressing Israel's right to security, it is considered a stinging defeat for Jerusalem which argues the creation of a Palestinian state should only be part of a comprehensive peace agreement.
Over the past few weeks pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian lobby groups have been battling to influence Santiago's decision regarding Palestinian statehood. Leaders of Chile's Palestinian community, which numbers 400,000 people and is the largest on the continent, declared their support for the Palestinian cause while leaders of Chile's 10,000-strong Jewish community lobbied on behalf of Israel.
Despite the outcome, Gabriel Zaliasnik, president of Chile's Jewish community, said he was "satisfied" with the wording of the proclamation because it did not refer to borders.
"Israelis and Palestinians will eventually define all the core issues like borders," he said. 'For the Jewish people, Jerusalem and borders of the state of Israel can not be provided to third parties."
"Israelis and Palestinians will eventually define all the core issues like borders," he said. 'For the Jewish people, Jerusalem and borders of the state of Israel can not be provided to third parties."
Unlike the five previous Latin American countries which have recognized a Palestinian state in the past three months, including Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia and Ecuador, Chile has a right-leaning government whose politics are not necessarily critical of the U.S., and by extension, of Israel. Some believe Chile's decision may pave the way for other right-leaning governments in the area like Colombia, Mexico and Peru to recognize a Palestinian state.
Over 130 countries have officially recognized Palestine as a state based on the 1967 borders, the boundaries that existed before Israel occupied East al-Quds (Jerusalem), the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.
In December 2010, Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia recognized Palestine as an independent state.
The United States and Israel have criticized the move and have so far refused to recognize an independent Palestinian state.
Last month, Uruguay announced that it would recognize Palestine in March 2011.
On December 31, Acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas said that the recognition of the Palestinian state by several Latin American nations would force the US and Israel to return to negotiations.
The latest round of talks collapsed in late September after Tel Aviv refused to extend a partial freeze on its illegal settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territories.
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