PLO admits it will lose the UN vote

From AP:

The Palestinian foreign minister admits for the first time there is not enough support in the U.N. Security Council for recognition of a Palestinian state,

This comes as the Security Council receives a report saying there's no consensus among the 15 members. Nine votes would be needed for approval, and any of the five permanent members could cast a veto.

The U.S. and Israel insist that a Palestinian state must result from negotiations.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki told The Associated Press Tuesday, "It is clear now, with the U.S. counter effort and intervention, that we are not going to have these nine votes." They can still apply to the General Assembly.

According to the current thinking, here is how the voting would go:

	Yes	No	Abstain
Bosnia			x
Brazil	x
China	x
Colombia			x
France			x
Gabon	x
Germany			x
India	x
Lebanon	x
Nigeria	x
Portugal			x
Russia	x
South Africa	x
UK			x
USA		x

Which leaves the PLO one vote short of its goal of embarrassing the US.

The next question is - what is their Plan B? Dismantling the PA? Another threat by Abbas to quit? Swallowing their pride and going to the General Assembly?

Because one thing is for sure. They have no plans to return to serious negotiations that would necessitate their compromising in order to get a state that even Israel would vote for. No, their need for independence is not that pressing.

They prefer stunts to peace.

Speaking of....what's going to happen to that symbolic chair that went on  a world tour? Or, for that matter,  that giant UN chair shown off in Ramallah?

I hope they end up on eBay.

(h/t CHA)