Post date: Nov 29, 2012 3:16:33 PM
Palestinian media campaign boosts support for President Mahmoud Abbas's UN bid.
RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (NOVEMBER 28, 2012) (REUTERS) - A television and radio campaign, boosting public support for a Palestinian effort to win UN recognition as a non-member state, continued on Thursday (November 29).
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to present the diplomatic request to the United Nations General Assembly in New York later on Thursday.Meanwhile, Palestinians across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip voice support for his efforts.
"This is a humanitarian affair that all the countries must support, because we have been oppressed and we should break this oppression," said a resident of the West Bank city of Ramallah after watching a TV ad promoting Abbas' campaign.
In Hebron one radio station is airing adverts promoting the UN bid.
"The crowds are all today ready to deliver the message to the President and the international community and the rest of the world - We are all behind Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) in order to achieve the right of a state to the Palestinian people," Yihya AlNatsheh head of radio station 88.6FM said.
The U.N. General Assembly is set to implicitly recognize a sovereign state of Palestine on Thursday despite threats by the United States and Israel to punish the Palestinian Authority by withholding much-needed funds for the West Bank government.
A Palestinian resolution that would change the Palestinian Authority's U.N. observer status from "entity" to "non-member state," like the Vatican, is expected to pass easily in the 193-nation U.N. General Assembly.
Israel, the United States and a handful of other members are planning to vote against what they see as a largely symbolic and counterproductive move by the Palestinians.
Abbas has been leading the campaign to win support for the resolution, and over a dozen European governments have offered him their support after an eight-day conflict this month between Israel and Islamists in the Gaza Strip, who are pledged to Israel's destruction and oppose his efforts toward a negotiated peace.
In Gaza City, in a rare show of unity, Palestinians from all factions will take to the streets to promote and support the Abbas bid at the UN.
Asked if Abbas represents Gaza a resident of Gaza Inimir told Reuters: "He is a president, a Palestinian president of all the Palestinian people. He must represent every Palestinian."
"His speech today will be a historical one and the announcement should be recorded in history and for the Palestinian people to achieve their rights," Dahdouh, another resident in Gaza said.
The U.S. State Department said on Wednesday that Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns and U.S. Middle East peace envoy David Hale travelled to New York on Wednesday in a last-ditch effort to get Abbas to reconsider.
The Palestinians gave no sign they were turning back.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton repeated to reporters in Washington on Wednesday the U.S. view that the Palestinian move was misguided and efforts should focus instead on reviving the stalled Middle East peace process.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland reiterated U.S. warnings that the move could lead to a reduction of U.S. economic support for the Palestinians. The Israelis have also warned they might take significant deductions out of monthly transfers of duties that Israel collects on the Palestinians' behalf.
Granting Palestinians the title of "non-member observer state" falls short of full U.N. membership - something the Palestinians failed to achieve last year. But it would allow them access to the International Criminal Court and some other international bodies, should they choose to join them.
Peace talks have been stalled for two years, mainly over the issue of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which have expanded despite being deemed illegal by most of the world.
In their draft resolution, the Palestinians have pledged to relaunch the peace process immediately following the U.N. vote.