So much for negotiation:
Defying U.S. and Israeli opposition, the Palestinian officially asked the United Nations on Friday to accept them as a member state, sidestepping nearly two decades of troubled negotiations in the hope this dramatic move on the world stage would reenergize their quest for an independent homeland.
IneffectualPalestinian President Mahmoud Abbas formally submitted the application for full U.N. membership after rebuffing an intense U.S.-led effort to sway him from the statehood bid earlier this week. ...
A top aide, speaking on condition of anonymity in order to discuss the move, said that in the letter to Ban accompanying the application, Abbas asks the U.N. chief to immediately send on the request for full U.N. membership to the Security Council and the General Assembly, which is likely to be asked to approve a more modest status upgrade if the bid in the Council founders as expected.
The move comes as a rebuke to Barack Obama, who tried to warn the Palestinians that attempting an end-around on direct negotiations would carry significant political consequences.
After of course, he told them he was okay with them having a state...
Abbas' persistence appears to show that Obama has little influence on events in the conflict now, which may have its own repercussions in the US for his administration. Congress will almost certainly respond by suspending aid to the Palestinians, and Obama will have to decide whether to defy a bipartisan effort to punish Abbas for his actions.
I am actually all for making Palestine a full and independent country. Give them the legitimacy of self government, and all the RESPONSIBILITY that goes with it. The first rocket launched at Israel by the new state will be an act of war and after Israel crushes them, they will be independent and on their own. Israel can wash its hands of this mess and walk away and not have to pay them any more funds, divert water and fuel and let them into Israel's borders. They will be independent... and on their own.