Last week we posted a Washington Post opinion piece by Robert Bernstein attacking the UN and Human Rights groups for their attitude to Israel and Palestine, and a rejoinder by the Economist: http://jfjfp.com/?p=25704. Here Mouin Rabbani of Jadaliyya adds his voice to the outrage. Wikipedia’s entry on Palestine Media Watch is at the bottom

A founder of Human Rights Watch has moved from complaints of a general anti-Israel bias to accusing the Arab media of genocidal propaganda and the UN of fuelling anti-semitism and sees no gulf between Mahmoud Abbas and those who make their name through hate speech . 1st, an Economist critique of the article by Robert L. Bernstein, 2nd.

A split has opened on Palestine at the UN between J Street, founded 2008 to press for American diplomatic leadership in resolving the Israel/Palestine conflict (3), and less-establishment peace groups, represented here by Tikkun, founded 1986 as a new voice for the Jewish left. (1) and their petition of support for the bid, (2)

Rare and immense applause for Mahmoud Abbas’ speech at the UN is reported, along with some diplomatic repercussions, in the NY Times, Al Jazeera, AFP, and New Middle East News. Last, the manifesto for a Palestine state, signed so far by over 80 leading Israelis

A mass rally in Ramallah marks the passage of the statehood bid into the UN chambers, 1; a perceptive account of the forces that have brought the Pa to this position by Phyllis Bennis, 2; and for those who have floundered in the mass of material, a clear guide from the Afro-Middle East Centre

If Obama has been ineffectual in forcing Israel to respect international law, he is stil the centre of hope for Americans wanting peace in the region and for Palestinians who remember the idea of becoming a member of the UN came from him Analyses from Robert Grenier, first and Daoud Kuttab second

Graham Usher analyses the changes in the state of play which may follow from the request for statehood recognition by the UN, including a revival of mass action. Second, Omar Barghouti spells out the hostility felt by many Palestinians to what they see as the weak and appeasing role of the PA, exemplified by their desire for UN recognition and for more negotiations with Israel

With the German government adamantly against (despite popular feeling – posting this page) and possibly France, Spain and the UK for UN recognition of Palestinian statehood, the EU will have to find a way to restart negotiations or accept loss of influence. Articles from NY Times and Haaretz

From eager first talks to having nothing to say, the collapse of hopes for Obama and Palestinian rights has been fast and, it seems, decisive. But some on the Palestinian side believe Obama will be different in a second term writes Ziad Asali, President, ATFP

The governments of the UK, France and, especially, Germany do not support the PA’s bid for UN recognition The peoples of their countries do according to a new poll. Support for Palestinians’ political rights are highest in Germany, lowest in the UK, However, an Early Day Motion for Palestinian admission to the UN has so far been signed by 93 MPs, all but 27 of them Labour (list 2nd in this post)

The PLO’s status derives from its claim to be sole representative of an entire people argues Dr Abdel Razzaq Takriti, allowing it to ‘encompass the Palestinian shatat [diaspora] in its entirety’. What will happen to the PLO and Palestinian refugees if the statehood bid to take the one UN place succeeds?

Turkish and Israeli state responses (1st and 2nd) and a long analysis from Richard Silverstein greet the detailed 105 page report of the Palmer panel of inquiry into the ‘Flotilla incident’, when Israeli commandos stormed the flotilla to Gaza and killed 9 people on the Turkish Mavi Marmara. Freedom of navigation, Gaza’s human needs, the right of protest and Israeli excessive force and security needs are key issues

Ynet publishes an alarmist report of the success of the BDS campaign written by Giulio Meotti, who has written a book on Israel’s victims of terrorism. An interview with him about the book is posted 2nd. 3rd is a report of the protest at the Proms on Thursday night, and lastly a piece written before the Proms protest by Jewish classical music blogger Jessica Duchen arguing for boycotting the Israel Philharmonic

Spain hopes to lead EU to support the PA’s bid for UN recognition reports Reuters in our first item, but, secondly, Palestinians themselves are divided as many do not want the doubtful authority of the PA, with its dependence on outside funding, to be reinforced says Issa Khalaf

JfJfP signatory Dan Judelson has lodged a petition on the new government website calling for the UK government to recognize Palestine as a state and support its admission to the UN in September. If you are a British resident or citizen, please e-sign the petition.
Thursday 18th August, 6.00pm: this petition is supported by The Amos Trust, City Circle, The Green Party, Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East, One Voice, Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine and Unison

John McHugo, international lawyer and chair of the LibDem Friends of Palestine sets out why the UK should recognise Palestine as a state, why this is in Israel’s interest and warns against the danger of creating Bantustans; a 2nd article by Denis Seguin takes the ‘poisonously controversial’ question of what makes a country and shows how almost every rule has been broken in history

Al Haq, the West Bank affiliate of the International Commission of Jurists with special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council provides an authoritative guide to the PA’s bid for UN recognition of its statehood

Caught between acting for the Palestinian national interest – as demanded by the Fatah/Hamas deal and the bid for UN recognition of statehood – and pleasing its hawkish funders, the PA is again paralysed and starved of income and reputation

This posting carries the news that China will support the PA’s request for UN recogntion of Palestinian statehood, followed by a 2-year old review of China’s policies in the region. This comes from the Jamestown Foundation, set up as an anti-Soviet think-tank, now morphed into a conservative body with alleged CIA links Nonetheless, it’s informative.

The Oslo accords are dead – but Dennis Ross, the American who has advised his last three presidents, is trying to magic up their potency to block the PA at the UN, and at any point where Palestinians might make steps towards their own land