U.N. vote for Palestine hurts peace 
By STEVE HUNTLEY 
September 5, 2011
Chicago Sun Times  
http://www.suntimes.com/news/huntley/7405728-417/un-vote-for-palestine-hurts-peace.html
Later this month the Palestinians will take their ill-conceived bid for a unilateral declaration to statehood to the United Nations. It’s an irresponsible maneuver that would undermine the negotiations with Israel that are the only hope for a lasting settlement, alienate the U.S. government and perhaps foment a new outbreak of violence and blood-letting.
The Obama administration would veto a statehood declaration in the Security Council. The Palestinians then would seek from the General Assembly a designation short of statehood but boosting the status of “Palestine.” Nations from the developing world and Muslim states are eager to cast an anti-Israel vote.
The United States and the European Union must stand firm against the Palestinian maneuver. To that end, they should remind the world of the history of the region and the search for a two-state solution.
In 1947, the U.N. came up with a two-state plan to partition the Holy Land into a new Arab nation and a Jewish homeland. Israel said yes, the Arab world said no and went to war to push the Israelis into the sea.
War would come again in 1967. Israel achieved a lightning victory, then extended a hand seeking negotiations leading to peace treaties with its neighbors. What did it get? The famous three no’s from a Khartoum summit of Arab leaders — no peace, no negotiations, no recognition of Israel.
In 2000, Israel pulled its forces out of Lebanon. Did it get peace on its northern border? No, it got a Hezbollah arms buildup that would cause war in 2006.
Later in 2000, at the Camp David summit, Prime Minister Ehud Barak offered the Palestinians what every reasonable observer recognized as the best deal they could hope to get — a deal that remains to this day as the framework for a final settlement. What did this generous offer bring from Yasser Arafat? Another no — and a terror war that killed some 1,000 Israeli civilians and maimed many, many more.
In 2005, the Israelis uprooted settlements and pulled out of the Gaza Strip. Did the Palestinians take advantage of this as an opportunity to build a society lifting the economic lives of Gaza residents? Was Israel rewarded with a peaceful neighbor? Again, the answer was no and ultimately another short war.
As recently as 10 days ago, President Mahmoud Abbas said the Palestinian Authority would not recognize Israel as a Jewish state — saying no to a two-state solution.
If that history isn’t enough to demonstrate the righteousness of Israel’s case, the Obama administration should remind the U.N. of its declaration of human rights and ask some pertinent questions. Such as:
Would you rather be a woman in Israel or Saudi Arabia? The Arab Spring in Saudi Arabia took the form of women protesting for the right to drive a car.
Would you rather be gay in Israel or Iran? Tehran executes homosexuals, sometimes in public hangings.
Would you rather be a Christian in Israel or Egypt? Coptic Christians in Egypt have been killed by mobs and their churches burned.
If you’re a prize-winning scientist doing research to find a cure for diabetes or spinal cord injury, are you likely to be in Israel or Syria? 
When an earthquake devastated Haiti, which nation sent a planeload of medical personnel with a field hospital at a cost of millions of dollars to help the victims — was it Israel or oil-rich Kuwait?
The record is clear: A U.N. vote for Palestinian statehood would be an egregious insult to the pursuit of peace and to the universal values of human rights. Washington should adopt the strongest position possible. The administration should cut off the annual $470 million in U.S. aid to the Palestinians if they pursue a statehood vote. Congress should pass a bill proposed by Chairman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) of the House Foreign Affairs Committee to reduce U.S. funding of the U.N. if the General Assembly gives Palestine an enhanced status.