Note: On 29 November 2012, the UN General Assembly voted to grant ‘Observer State’ state to Palestine. The resolution was passed by 132 votes in favour and nine against including Israel, the US, and Canada. This formal acceptance as special member in UN made the Palestine very joyful in both West Bank and Gaza. But Israel responded with an announcement to build 3,000 new houses in the West Bank. This move was condemned by all major powers and they warned that the new settlement activity would stall peace-process. The Editorial commentaries from the international and the Middle Eastern media on this event are reproduced here. Editor, MEI@ND
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The National, Abu Dhabi, Editorial, 12 November 2012, Monday
1. Israeli threat a sign of growing anxiety
The Palestinian people should take satisfaction from Israel's latest bit of bluster, because it reveals growing alarm over the world's steadily growing support for Palestine. To be sure, there is nothing pleasing about the threat, made on Saturday (10 November) by the Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz, that Israel will stop collecting taxes on the PA's behalf, and withhold money already collected, if the Palestinians persevere in their effort to take a step, via the United Nations, towards statehood. For the full text

Guf News, Dubai, Editorial, 14 November 2012, Wednesday
2. Palestinian dream hostage to politics
Bid for a UN status is a significant step in the quest to assert their rights in the face of Israeli oppression. The Palestinian people have long been struggling to attain their basic rights and freedom. Like any other group of people, they have every right to exist as a nation and build their future within the boundaries of an independent state. The time could not be more appropriate for the Palestinians to finally pursue the means that will enable them to come closer to statehood. For the full text

Gulf News, Dubai, Editorial, 28 November 2012, Wednesday
3. A united Palestinian bid for statehood
In a rare solidarity move, Hamas is backing the bid to upgrade Palestinian status at the UN. The Palestinian cause has long been one that has been cast aside. The delay has been in addressing the rights of Palestinians as a people and their efforts towards statehood. It is high time these are addressed and highlighted. For the full text

The Jordan Times, Amman, Editorial, 28 November 2012, Wednesday
4. Supporting a justified quest
What Israel fears most from Palestine’s bid to upgrade its status at the UN to that of non-member observer state is the ability of the Palestinian Authority to take it, thereafter, to the International Criminal Court for its crimes against humanity and war crimes against the Palestinian people. For the full text

The New York Times, New York, Editorial, 28 November 2012, Wednesday
5. The Palestinians’ U.N. Bid
On Thursday (22 November), a week after the Gaza cease-fire between Hamas and Israel, the Palestinian Authority, which controls parts of the West Bank, is scheduled to ask the United Nations General Assembly to upgrade the Palestinian status to non-member observer state. For the full text

China Daily, USA, New York, Editorial, 29 November 2012, Thursday
6. Palestinians' UN quest
Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas plans to submit his bid to upgrade the status of Palestine at the United Nations on Thursday. Both the Palestinians and the rest of the world will be watching with great anticipation as the UN General Assembly is set to vote on the bid on Thursday (29 November) afternoon. For the full text

The National, Abu Dhabi, Editorial, 29 November 2012, Thursday
7. Palestinians' UN bid confirms Israel's isolation
Today in New York, the United Nations General Assembly is scheduled to vote on upgrading the status of Palestine at the international body. The numbers look good and short of an unexpected upset, Palestinians will probably be granted "observer" status at the world body, similar to the Vatican. That would be a resounding victory for a people whose land has been divided, attacked and occupied for decades. It would represent a long-overdue step for a people who remain without a nation of their own. For the full text

Gulf News, Dubai, Editorial, 30 November 2012, Friday
8. Palestine moves forward at UN
The massive majority in the UN General Assembly shows how limited the support for Israel has become. The recognition of Palestine as an observer state in the United Nations was a valuable step forward, even if the earlier request to join as a full member was not achieved. Until now, Palestine could attend meetings of the UN and its member bodies, but now it can take a more active part in the discussions, even though it still cannot vote. For the full text

The Daily Star, Beirut, Editorial, 30 November 2012, Friday
9. At last
The Palestinian bid for state recognition at the United Nations came exactly 65 years since the General Assembly voted on a two-state solution in Palestine that Ban Ki-moon Thursday (29 November) noted was “tragically unfulfilled.” For the full text

The Hindu, Chennai, Editorial, 1 December 2012, Saturday
10.  A step closer to Palestine
The Palestinian bid to become a non-member Observer State at the United Nations has been, as expected, approved by an overwhelming vote of 138 to nine, with 41 abstentions in the General Assembly. The vote implies global recognition of the relevant territory as a sovereign state and is a major step towards a two-state solution for historical Palestine. For the full text

The Jordan Times, Amman, Editorial, 1 December 2012, Saturday
11.  Rightful gain
Israel and its few remaining supporters cannot claim that they were taken by surprise by the Palestinian Authority’s success at the UN, where the General Assembly voted 138 against 9, with 41 abstentions, to upgrade the status of the Palestinians to that of non-member observer state. For the full text

Gulf News, Dubai, Editorial, 2 December 2012, Sunday
12.  Israel’s utter disregard for UN vote
Instead of seizing the opportunity for new talks, it opts to lay the foundations for fresh colonies. If there ever was any doubt about the arrogance and sheer audacity of Israel, look no further than its repugnant and repulsive reaction to the UN recognition of Palestine as a non-member state. For the full text

The National, Abu Dhabi, Editorial, 2 December 2012, Sunday
13.  World opinion is clear on Palestine
The symbolism of the vote was matched only by the symbolism of the date. Sixty-five years to the day after the United Nations voted to partition historic Palestine, the world body voted to recognize a geographically much-reduced Palestine as a non-member state. Much has changed in 65 years. For the full text

Gulf News, Dubai, Editorial, 5 December 2012, Wednesday
14.  Palestinians deserve justice
The world needs to tell Tel Aviv that its atrocities and colonist plans cannot go unpunished any more. Most reasonable nations have responded with anger to Israel’s plan to build 3,000 more colonist homes in the West Bank and rightly so. For the full text

The Jordan Times, Amman, Editorial, 6 December 2012, Thursday
15.  Expressing solidarity
His Majesty King Abdullah’s visit to Ramallah for talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, just after the upgrading of the Palestinian representation at the UN to non-member observer state and the end of a round of fighting between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, is symbolic. For the full text

Compiled by MariMuthu U

MariMuthu U is a Doctoral candidate at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Email

As part of its editorial policy, the MEI@ND standardizes spelling and date formats to make the text uniformly accessible and stylistically consistent. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views/positions of the MEI@ND.  Editor, MEI@ND:  P R Kumaraswamy