PA statehood bid expected on Thursday 29th November

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This weekend a delegation from ECI will travel to the UN in New York in time for the expected vote for a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state at the UN on Thursday 29th November.

Thanks to some extraordinary measures we will be inside the UN the whole week to follow the proceedings, pray and reach out to undecided delegates.  Our simple belief is that the UN ambassadors that are to vote on the issue have not taken everything in to account.

- A Palestinian statehood bid at this time violates international law and is in breach of the Oslo agreements which state that no party can take unilateral action before a final settlement is reached through negotiations.

- The Palestinian Authority does not meet the criteria for statehood as they do not control their own territory. Abbas has not been allowed in to Gaza since he was kicked out in 2007. Neither do the PA have peace with their neighbours.

- A premature upgrade of PA as a non-member state would pre-define the borders along the 1967 armistice lines. These are not recognized borders under international law.  Final borders can only be negotiated, not proclaimed by one party alone.

- The proposed PA state would divide Jerusalem and make the Old City the capital of an Islamic Palestinian state.  This would close off the Holy sites for the Jewish people who would have to leave the city.

These are only some of the facts that we believe the international community ought to know and take into consideration as they vote. There are also many believing diplomats who are eager to learn what the Word of God is stating about His covenant with the Jewish people and the land of Israel. During our recent visits to the UN we have had many opportunities to share all these aspects of the vote.

Thank you for praying for us while we travel to New York on your behalf. We also appreciate any financial gift during this crucial time. You can find the details for donations by clicking this "Donate".

You will be able to follow us daily on Twitter @eciun and Facebook as well as through our special blog on our website www.ec4i.org where we will update you with videos and special reports.



Helsinki, 23rd November, 2012

Tomas Sandell
on behalf of ECI