Israel braces for U.N.'s meaningless vote on Palestine

you would think some great cataclysm is about to befall israel, with the UN's upcoming symbolic vote on palestinan "statehood". this vote is greeted with the usual pissing and moaning about the great threat facing the likud maniacs:

srael braces for U.N. vote on Palestinians – USATODAY.com: "JERUSALEM (AP) – Israelis are greeting the Palestinian bid for U.N. membership with a mix of fatalism and wariness, resigned to the fact that they face a serious diplomatic setback at the world body — but also increasingly angry and nervous about the country's deepening isolation.

The looming showdown at the United Nations, in which a broad majority of the world is expected to vote symbolically in favor of Palestinian independence, is deepening already strong divisions and tapping into a sense that 63 years after gaining independence, Israel is still searching for its place in the world."

israel is an outlaw state -- by its own calculations and intentions. it has dealt in bad faith with the palestinians and the rest of the world that seeks a just settlement to all the "outstanding issues" surrounding the establishment of a palestinian state as envisioned by the UN when israel itself was established.

the saudis even proposed a plan whereby the arabs would recognize israel and normalize relations, provided that the jewish state allowed for the establishment of a palestinian state within the west bank and gaza, along with east jerusalem -- with the borders as they were before the 1967 war, but that has never been taken seriously by the israelis. they are only interested in territorial expansion -- driving the palestinians into the sea, to use a familiar formulation. the israeli side has never seriously undertaken negotiations for a settlement -- only dilatory maneuvers undertaken while they satisfy their territorial ambitions.

why this UN gesture seems to cause them so much discomfort? only, as far as i can tell, because they're used to always having their way. with their big, dumb and ugly partner in crime, the US, they can pretty much thumb their nose at the international community and pursue their ugly, racist policies with impunity. it's what gives them their jollies; it's their reason for being.

by ignoring the chance for peace and going all out to humiliate the other side, israeli guarantees that its place in the world will be a lonely, forsaken one. at some point their position will become untenable, and instead of acceptance in the international order, they really will achieve the result they, ironically, claim they are struggling to avoid.

that's too bad. there was a potential for an outcome far more beneficial to all concerned -- but a lack of courage to bring it about. talk about a waste.