Black condemns U.N vote

A Middle Tennessee representative voiced opposition to the Thursday United Nations vote recognizing a Palestinian state.

U.S. Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., joined other U.S. officials in criticizing the vote.

“The United Nation’s decision to recognize the non-existent Palestinian state [the Palestine Liberation Organization] as a non-member observer state is reckless and irresponsible,” said Black in a statement Friday. “As rockets rained over Israel from Gaza and took the lives of innocent Israelis, the PLO President Abu Mazen did not condemn the attacks, instead he congratulated Hamas for its efforts to murder Israeli civilians.

"This recognition of the PLO will not only be detrimental to our ally Israel, but it will have far reaching consequences for Middle East peace and stability in the region. It is incredibly disappointing that so many nations in the UN decided to support the Palestinian statehood scheme, instead of supporting a bilateral, two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. The only way to achieve true, lasting peace is through direct negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel.  We need to stand with our ally Israel and no taxpayer dollars should be given to the PLO.”

More than two-thirds of the world body's 193 member states approved the resolution upgrading the Palestinians to a nonmember observer state. It passed 138-9, with 41 abstentions.

The U.S., Canada and Israel were among the votes against the resolution. Also voting in opposition were the Czech Republic, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Panama.

"Today's unfortunate and counterproductive resolution places further obstacles in the path of peace," said U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice. "Today's grand pronouncements will soon fade and the Palestinian people will wake up tomorrow and find that little about their lives has changed save that the prospects of a durable peace have only receded."

The historic vote came 65 years to the day after the U.N. General Assembly voted in 1947 to divide Palestine into two states, one for Jews and one for Arabs. Israel became a state but the Palestinians rejected the partition plan, and decades of tension and violence have followed.

With its newly enhanced status, the Palestinians can now gain access to U.N. agencies and international bodies, most significantly the International Criminal Court, which could become a springboard for going after Israel for alleged war crimes or its ongoing settlement building on war-won land.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.