Palestine seeks acceptance in unity

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In addition to New York, peaceful rallies and events organized by students supporting the Palestinian cause took place on Sunday in Washington, DC; Albany, NY; Jacksonville, IL; Blacksburg, VA; Cleveland, OH; Minneapolis, MN; Philadelphia, PA; and Boise, ID.  Many active college and university students across the United States, who have shown determination and dedication to just causes time and time again, supported the demonstrations.  Indeed, some had already spoken out in the unified campaign of the Students for Statehood: “We, college and university students in the United States, advocate for Palestine’s admission to the United Nations as a member state.  Pursuing membership in the United Nations reaffirms the chances of reaching a just and lasting peace for the Palestinian people and an end to the illegal, Israeli occupation of Palestine”.

I have seen many people who have been frustrated and disheartened by some national governments’ seeming indifference to the Palestinian determination to become an independent nation.  I understand their frustration, especially those actually living the horrors of unjust occupation on a day-to-day basis. Seeking membership of the United Nations is the right thing to do for many reasons. 

First of all, Palestine is ready, and we have been for a long time.  Palestine meets all the conditions of the Montevideo Convention for Statehood, of which the US is a signatory: it has a permanent population, it has demonstrated that it can govern itself and hold democratic elections, and it has relations with over a hundred counties who recognize our 1967 borders.  Becoming a full member of the UN would be consistent with international law and our right to self-determination; it would mean the continued protection of the rights of all Palestinians around the world, and not just those in the homeland; and it would come with the overwhelming support of Palestinians themselves.  Crucially, it is not an alternative to peace negotiations, but rather a tool to support them.

Of course, full membership of the United Nations would not solve all of our problems.  But it would be a start on the road to ensuring that we are able to live in peace with our neighbors, in the interests of the region, the United States, and the rest of the world.  That is why, with the help of activists everywhere, my fellow students and I will continue to stand up  peacefully for the interests of our nation and supporting Palestine’s United Nations initiative when the UN General Assembly meets in New York later this month.  I hope that the United States and other nations will once again show strong leadership and, for the sake of peace and justice, support Palestine’s bid to become the 194th Member State of the United Nations.

Yazan M. Mustafa is a founding member and national organizer of Students for Statehood.  He is an undergraduate senior student in the Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University.