Obama and Netanyahu to Palestinians on Statehood: Go to Hell
"(T)he (UN) General Assembly shall meet every year in regular session commencing on the Tuesday of the third week in September, counting from the first week that contains at least one working day."
The 66th session began Tuesday, September 13. Access its agenda through this link.
On Friday, September 23, Abbas and Netanyahu will address the body. Obama plans to do it Wednesday, September 21.
According to Middle East expert Jon Alterman:
"The president's actions have gotten him anger on all sides, and accolades on none," with good reason. "I don't know an easy way to get out of this problem."
Put another way: He made his bed. Now he has to sleep in it!
So does The New York Times. Its longstanding editorial policy notoriously turns a blind eye to the most egregious injustices - notably on Israeli/Palestinian issues.
As a result, it virulently opposes Palestinian statehood and full UN membership, no matter how just, right and timely.
Supporting the right thing, in fact, was never The Times' long suit.
It's September 11 editorial is one of many examples. Headlined, "Palestinian Statehood," it calls a UN vote for it "ruinous," adding:
"If a UN vote takes place, Washington and its partners will have to limit the damage...."
On September 18, Times writer Neil MacFarquhar headlined, "Palestinians Turn to UN, Where Partition Began," referring to the 1947 partition plan. More on it below.