Elior Levy reports for Ynet:

The Palestinian Authority decided to renew its statehood bid during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September, but political sources in Ramallah say that this year’s campaign will differ from the previous one.

“The decision is not dramatic. What will happen in the upcoming September will not resemble last September; it’s a different story this time,” a Ramallah official told Ynet. [...]

This time, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas plans to turn to the General Assembly, where the Palestinians are guaranteed an automatic majority. However, the General Assembly cannot grant the Palestinians full membership, but only upgrade their status to that of a non-member observer state. This status will enable them to seek membership in several UN agencies and at the International Criminal Court.

Last year, I was in favour of this. I still think I am, though I remain, as I was last September, torn over what the best way forward is for Israelis and Palestinians. If Israel can make unilateral moves of its own, then why can’t Palestinians? What’s good for the goose has to be good for the gander, and Palestinians, understandably, need to (a) keep their issue on the public stage, and (b) protect (what’s left of) the land slated for ‘Palestine’.

Something needs to shake Israel and the Palestinians out of their negotiation-less funk.