The United Nations General Assembly endorsed an upgraded status for the Palestinian Authority, despite opposition from the United States and Israel.
The resolution elevates the authority's status from "Nonmember observer entity" to "Nonmember observer state," the same category as the Vatican. Palestinians hope it will provide new leverage in their dealings with Israel. Ref. CNN
Palestinian state faces limitations
The United Nations has voted overwhelmingly to recognize a Palestinian state, but the Palestinians still face enormous limitations: They don't control their borders, airspace or trade, they have separate and competing governments in Gaza and the West Bank, and they have no unified army or police. Ref. Source 1
Palestinians aren't getting "One cent," says Israel:
Israel says Palestinians will not get tax revenues before at least March, after having already confiscated the Palestinian Authority's December funds. The decision comes as part of Palestine's "Punishment" for last month's United Nations bid. Ref. Source 5
Palestinian officials say they plan to isolate Israel:
A number of Palestinian officials say they are planning to take tough steps including filing war crimes charges against Israeli officials, staging West Bank demonstrations, and encouraging sanctions after elections in January. Ref. Source 3
After cease-fire, Palestinians still suffer unjust controls:
Palestinians, still live under occupation, and they are constrained by a damaging Israeli blockade. Even the United Nations is affected. It needs to apply to Israel for permission to buy construction materials for schools. Remarkably, Israel often says no. Ref. Source 2
Britain says Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution almost dead;
Britain said on Tuesday prospects for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are almost dead because of expanding Jewish settlement in occupied territory, and warned Israel it was losing international support. Ref. Source 3
Israel kills 7 Palestinians, arrest 300 others during January:
A Palestinian human rights report confirmed that the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) killed 7 Palestinians, and arrested more than 300 others during the month of January 2013. Ref. Source 6