Powerful signal, but not enough

Raising the Palestinian flag for the first time at the UN headquarters in New York was symbolic; beyond the symbolism, it gave Palestinians everywhere a moment of pride in their identity.

As Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said last Wednesday, when the flag went up at the UN, “in this historical moment, I say to my people everywhere” that the flag “is a symbol of our identity”.

True, hoisting the flag at the United Nations will not change the fundamentals of the intractable Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but it does send a powerful signal that the world community is moving steadily, if slowly, in the direction of supporting full Palestinian statehood.

For now, Palestine has only observer state status at the UN. Palestinians want it, of course, to be accorded recognition as a full UN member state.

That is opposed by the Israeli occupation which, for decades now, has constantly put obstacles on the path of the Palestinians’ search for an independent statehood.

The recognition of Palestine as a full member of the UN would have important political implications. Israel could not continue to occupy a UN member state.

As long as Palestine is not recognised as a full UN member country, Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem will continue, until it is forced out one way or another.

Having the Palestinian flag flutter over UN headquarters could still be seen as a forceful step in the direction of reaching the two-state solution.

But the Palestinians’ short-lived joy will be just that as long as the UN falls short of granting them the right of every human being on earth: a state of their own where they can live free from occupation.

Spirits are already inflamed due to repeated Israeli violations of Palestinians’ rights — political, economic and religious — and the recent flare up and violence in the confrontation between Israelis and Palestinians is an indication of where things will be going if injustice prevails.

It is time the international community lives up to its moral ideals. Time to give Palestinians their state and end a shameful occupation.