World View: Palestinian Authority Will Go to U.N. to Ask for State

This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

• As Israeli election approaches, tensions escalate on border with Gaza
• Palestinian Authority will go to U.N. to ask for Palestinian state
• EU funding crisis as Britain leads a walkout on talks

As Israeli election approaches, tensions escalate on border with Gaza

Israelis run for shelter after warning of incoming rockets on Saturday (AFP)

Both sides are threatening revenge on the border between Israel andGaza, as attacks have escalated sharply in the last few days. OnThursday, a huge tunnel from Gaza to Israel exploded, injuring onesoldier. On Saturday, Gaza showered Israel with rockets, and fired ananti-tank missile at an Israeli jeep, wounding four soldiers. Israelretaliated with missile attacks on four targets in Gaza, killing andwounding dozens of Gazans. Islamic Jihad is believed to have launchedthe barrage of missiles.

Israel’s Defense Minister Ehud Barak said, “The IDF responded harshlyto the incident and further action will be considered in the comingdays. We will not tolerate any escalation along the border.”

The radical Popular Resistance Committees in Gaza released a statementvowing that “the Zionist enemy will pay a high price for this crimeagainst Gaza.”

Some Israelis are speculating that Hamas is repeating a pattern from2008. Just after the November 2008 American election, and some threemonths before the next Israeli election, violence escalated sharplybetween Gaza and Israel, leading to the “Operation Cast Lead” warbetween Israel and Gaza. Now, just after the American election, withan Israeli election a few months off, violence is escalating sharplyagain. The speculation is that Hamas or Islamic Jihad or some othermilitant group in Gaza is using the chaos surrounding these electionsas an opportunity to provoke a new war. Jerusalem Postand AFP and Haaretz

Palestinian Authority will go to U.N. to ask for Palestinian state

A spokesman for the Palestinian Authority (PA) said that thePalestinian leadership and the Arab countries have confirmed adecision to go the United Nations General Assembly to gain recognitionof a Palestinian state on pre-1967 borders. The PA knows that italready has enough votes in the General Assembly for recognition,although the General Assembly can’t give the state full U.N.membership without Security Council approval of a resolution, whichthe U.S. would veto. They are considering asking for a vote onNovember 15 or 29. November 29 is the anniversary of the date in 1947that the U.N. General Assembly partitioned Palestine into Jewish andArab regions. Once the General Assembly acts, the PA plans to pursueIsrael for “war crimes” in the International Criminal Court. Israelhas indicated that it will impose sanctions on the PA if its leader goto the General Assembly. Jerusalem Post

EU funding crisis as Britain leads a walkout on talks

Britain’s MEPs (Members of European Parliament) have led an alliancewith Germany, the Netherlands, France, Sweden and other nations towalk out of talks on providing an additional $22 billion in the 2012and 2013 European Commission budgets, and Britain’s prime ministerDavid Cameron renewed his threat to veto any budget increase above thelevel of inflation. Britain’s Finance Minister Greg Clark pointed outthat the European Commission was calling for “sound public finances”among the member nations, and therefore:

“So it is frankly breathtaking that, knowing all that,the Commission does not practice what it preaches by proposingreductions, but instead asks for a 6.8% increase in this budgetover last year. …

Europe must practice the fiscal discipline that it demands ofmember states.

Ordinary working people, whether in the UK or elsewhere, cannot beasked to pay more to Europe when they are enduring cuts athome.”

The negotiations are extremely acrimonious, and it’s possible that amajor EU summit meeting scheduled for November 22 will have to bepostponed. Telegraph (London) and UK Press Association

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