US should recognise Palestine - Opinion - Al Jazeera English: "If the Palestinians go ahead with their plans to declare a state later this year, the US should recognise it.
There really is no good reason not to.
After all, ever since the days of Lyndon B. Johnson, presidents from both parties have expressed support for the return of the occupied territories in exchange for peace. No nation, other than Israel itself, recognises any of that land - including Arab East Jerusalem - as part of Israel. And the UN, which issued Israel its birth certificate in 1947, appears ready to do the same for the State of Palestine this summer.
It was once widely assumed that creation of the Palestinian state would be negotiated between Israelis and Palestinians. No more. The final nail in the direct-negotiations coffin was driven by prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu when he coldly rejected president Obama's offer of an extra $3.5 billion in US aid in exchange for a 90-day settlement freeze.
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There really is no good reason not to.
After all, ever since the days of Lyndon B. Johnson, presidents from both parties have expressed support for the return of the occupied territories in exchange for peace. No nation, other than Israel itself, recognises any of that land - including Arab East Jerusalem - as part of Israel. And the UN, which issued Israel its birth certificate in 1947, appears ready to do the same for the State of Palestine this summer.
It was once widely assumed that creation of the Palestinian state would be negotiated between Israelis and Palestinians. No more. The final nail in the direct-negotiations coffin was driven by prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu when he coldly rejected president Obama's offer of an extra $3.5 billion in US aid in exchange for a 90-day settlement freeze.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
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