The year 2012, like 2011, was dominated by news from the
Arab world. With the profound changes that were produced by the Arab Awakening,
the entire world continued to watch political and military developments
emerging from that region. Without doubt, for the Arab world, the Syrian
crisis, the Second Gaza War, and the vote on the Palestinian observer status
were the most critical events of the year. But the UNGA vote, that came days
after the Second Gaza War and the continued militarization of the Syrian
crisis, is the most telling event. It exposed the interplay between politics, economic
interests, and international justice. Most importantly, it exposed the lack of
principle in the US foreign policy and weakened it in its claim as a promoter
of just causes and human rights. The event also signaled a shift in
international politics and international relations.
For these reasons, ISR’s News Story of the Year selection
goes to the UNGA vote on the Observer Status for Palestine which went down as
follows:
Countries that voted for the resolution:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium,
Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Comoros, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, East Timor,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Finland,
France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kirghistan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco,
Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,
North Korea, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar,
Russia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Sri
Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, UAE, Uganda,
Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Countries that abstained:
Albania, Andorra, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados,
Bosnia/Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Colombia, Croatia, Dem. Rep. of Congo,
Estonia, Fiji, Germany, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malawi,
Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Poland,
Korea, Moldova, Romania, Rwanda, Samoa, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Macedonia, Togo, Tonga, United Kingdom, and Vanuatu.
Countries that voted against the resolution:
Canada, Czech Republic, Israel, Marshall Islands,
Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Panama, and the United States.
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