Steven Lendman: Palestinian UN Membership Roulette!

As Palestinian legal adviser in1987, Law Professor Francis Boyle drafted its Declaration of Independence, creating a Palestinian state. Palestinians now want to, and deserve official recognition, and full de jure UN membership, but Washington and Israel - the latter who dared to sink the USS Liberty with rockets and machine-guns, when I served as Intelligence Operations Officer of our American 4th US Armored Division in Goeppingen, Germany. At the time, General Sherrer, our commanding general had commented: "With friends like the Israelis, we have no need of enemies!" But I digress: Israeli contempt for the rule of law, democratic values, and equal justice is palpable. On the Progressive Radio News Hour, to air October 2, Boyle said 170 nations support Palestinian UN membership, according to the Financial Times! In all, 193 nations may vote, but only 129 are needed to admit Palestine as the UN's 194th member. According to Boyle, it's achievable by mid-October if Abbas follows proper procedures. Nevertheless, diplomatic roulette continues. On September 23, Abbas petitioned the Security Council for membership. It recommends new members, and only the General Assembly admits them by a simple two-thirds majority of voting member states, minus those abstaining!