first posted here at 6:03 am

from CNN: breaking news: UN overwhelmingly votes to upgrade Palestine status from “permanent observer” to observer non-member status 138 to 9 (Tambak!) with 41 abstaining. Among other things, it allows Palestine to file cases and maintain a prosecution proceeding before the International

Criminal Court. CNN likened the status to that of the Vatican. CNN says it is “a key step to Palestinian independence”.

Liveblog:  United States Ambassador Rice now speaking against the results.

CNN U.N reporter Richard Roth says there are no vetoes for this in the U.N. Security Council. Last year, the U.S. vetoed the U.N General Assembly grant of statehood to Palestine.

xxx

(The relevance of this to Filipinos is that: OFW’s are always caught in the crossfire of armed conflicts). 

xxx

Photo under License Creative Commons non-commercial