Why Biden was right to reject a Palestinian state at the UN Security Council

Dear Friend of FLAME:

Last week, the Palestinians indicated they intend to seek UN Security Council recognition of a Palestinian state in next month’s meeting.

The Biden administration promptly implored Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to abandon the idea, and threatened a veto should the matter come to a vote.

Why would President Biden—who just last month on his Middle East trip often repeated his commitment to a two-state solution—now quash the idea of UN recognition?

Four reasons explain why the U.S. does not—and should not—recognize a Palestinian state today.

Violates U.S. law: First, the U.S. Congress has passed several laws over the years that would cut direct U.S. funding to the Palestinian Authority (PA) if it obtains status as a UN member absent a peace deal with Israel.

PA refuses reasonable negotiations: Second, while the U.S. supports two states, it firmly believes that a two-state solution must be arrived at through direct negotiations between the PA and Israel—and that there are no shortcuts to that route. Biden’s State Department has made that clear.

While Israel has generally shown willingness to participate in serious peace talks with the PA, the Palestinians have outright rejected peace offers in 2000, 2001 and 2008 that would have given them a state in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) and a capital in Jerusalem. Those offers were crafted jointly by Israel and the U.S.

Since that time, the Palestinians have walked out on or refused peace negotiations proposed by the U.S.—most recently by Presidents Obama (in 2010 and 2014) and Trump (in 2020).

In 2014, Abbas rejected Obama-sponsored peace negotiations unless Israel agreed to three standing PA demands: 1) No recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, 2) full “right of return” into Israel for Palestinian refugees and millions of their descendants, and 3) refusal to commit to an “end of the conflict”—terminating additional Palestinian demands of Israel after a peace deal.

Suffice it to say, these demands are deal-killers for Israel—since each undermines the very sovereignty and foundation of the Jewish state. The PA knows this and uses these demands as excuses to block any peace negotiations with Israel.

Dueling dictatorships cannot reconcile. The third factor that makes a Palestinian state currently impossible is the bitter, often-violent conflict between the Palestinian Authority in Judea and Samaria and Hamas in Gaza.

Today’s PA is a corrupt, teetering autocracy with no heir apparent to the 87-year-old Abbas. It’s widely believed that the PA would collapse into the hands of Hamas without Israel’s security support, let alone the hundreds of millions of dollars poured into it annually by Western nations.

Gaza is effectively already a self-governing statelet. Hamas—a group designated as terrorist by the U.S. and European nations—is financially supported largely by Qatar and Iran.

In fact, both governing factions are dictatorships, ruling their territories with no elections and repressive iron hands. A Palestinian state today would have no defined borders, no unified government, and no sustaining economy. To declare a Palestinian state would sanctify a civil war between outlaw rivals and embroil Israel in the bloody crossfire.

Disrespect for United States interests: The fourth reason the U.S. should refuse overtures by the PA to perfunctorily form a state is the lack of respect the Palestinians have shown toward its benefactor, America.

Consider that since 1994, the United States has contributed 7.8 billion taxpayer dollars to Palestinians in Judea and Samaria and Gaza, making us the most magnanimous and consistent funder of the Palestinian national movement. (Overall contributions by the UN, the EU and EU member states amount to an additional $27 billion.)

You might fairly ask, “What has the U.S. received for this massive ‘investment’?” The fairest answer would be, “Nothing.”

Indeed, politicians have justified these billions in aid by arguing that we are supporting development of a stable Palestinian society. The hope has been that that the Palestinians will become functional enough to actually launch and manage a state . . . and flexible enough to negotiate peace with Israel.

Both hopes have failed utterly.

Not only has Palestinian society become more fragmented and financially bankrupt, but its governments have become increasingly more corrupt and oppressive.

This has not stopped the Biden administration, which in the last five months has restored funding cut by President Trump, resuming $235 million in assistance to the Palestinians in April and then an additional $316 million in July.

Perhaps every more curious—and insulting—in the face of such American generosity, the Palestinians have consistently scorned U.S. interests in the Middle East and globally.

Palestinian leaders, for example, have a tradition of supporting anti-American, authoritarian tyrannies.

Just last month, when U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, risking Chinese disapproval, Mahmoud Abbas’ office issued a statement supporting the Chinese position.

When the U.S. invaded Iraq to liberate Kuwait from Saddam Hussein, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat opposed us and supported Saddam Hussein. In response, Kuwait expelled some 400,000 Palestinians who lived there.

During the Cold War, the Palestinians supported Russia, not the U.S. Today they support Russia against Ukraine.

The Palestinians have consistently backed North Korea and its leader Kim Jong Un, while the North Koreans have returned the favor, lauding the Palestinians for opposing U.S. policies.

During the rise of Adolf Hitler and during World War II, Palestinian mufti Hajj Amin al-Husseini aligned and met with the German dictator to discuss plans for expanding the genocide of Jews to the Middle East.

When Donald Trump presented his peace plan—including an $80 billion development package—to the Palestinians in 2020, President Abbas angrily responded with “a thousand no’s.”

Please point out to friends, family, elected representatives—and in letters to the editor—that the Palestinians are no friends of the United States—no matter which party is in power. They don’t share America’s political values, particularly civil liberties and democracy. They frequently oppose our strategic interests and support our enemies. They have consistently rebuked attempts by the U.S. to help them achieve peace with Israel.

Emphasize, too, that the Palestinians seem to take billions of dollars of American financial aid for granted—as an entitlement—and refuse to express gratitude or reciprocate. No wonder the U.S. Congress has enacted so many restrictions against aid to them. And no wonder President Biden refused to back their desperate attempt in the U.N. to avoid peace talks with Israel.

I hope you’ll also take a minute, while you have this material front and center, to forward this message to friends, visit FLAME’s lively Facebook page and review the P.S. immediately below. It describes FLAME’s new hasbarah campaign—”The Palestinian Catastrophe”—which exposes the false narrative of “Nakba Day,” commemorating Palestinians’ missed opportunity for independence.

Best regards,

James Sinkinson, President
Facts and Logic About the Middle East (FLAME)

P.S.

U.S. Representative and “Squad” member Rashida Tlaib has introduced a bill that would make Palestinian Nakba (“Catastrophe”) Day a national observance. The resolution promotes the false narrative that Israel’s statehood in 1948 prevented Palestinian Arabs from achieving independence. I think you’ll agree that truth is the only antidote to this lie. FLAME’s new hasbarah message called “The Palestinian Catastrophe”—shows it was in fact Arab refusal to accept the U.N. proposal of two states for two peoples that created the problem. I hope you’ll review this convincing, fact-based paid editorial, which recently ran in the Washington Post, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Houston Chronicle, Los Angeles Times and other media nationwide. It spells out how it was actually Arab states who stole the land designated for Palestinians. This piece will also be sent to all members of Congress, Vice President Harris and President Biden. If you agree that this kind of public relations effort on Israel’s behalf is critical, I urge you to support us. Remember: FLAME’s powerful ability to influence public opinion—and U.S. support of Israel—comes from individuals like you, one by one. I hope you’ll consider giving a donation now, as you’re able—with $500, $250, $100, or even $18. (Remember, your donation to FLAME is tax deductible.) To donate online, just go to donate now. Now, more than ever, we need your support to ensure that the American people, the U.S. Congress and President Biden stay committed to fighting antisemitic actions by individuals, politicians and commercial companies. As of today, more than 15,000 Israel supporters receive the FLAME Hotline at no charge every week. If you’re not yet a subscriber, won’t you join us in receiving these timely updates, so you can more effectively tell the truth about Israel? Just go to free subscription.