Palestinian State in UN Is One Dumb Idea

For someone who’s spent his life practicing the delicate art of diplomacy, Aaron David Miller can be pretty blunt. “The notion Palestinians are cooking up, for U.N. action on Palestinian statehood this fall, takes dumb to a new level,” he’s said. Though the former State Department adviser and Middle East expert feels for sovereignty-hungry Palestinians, he wants to dispel the myth that taking action—even destructive action—is better than doing nothing. So on Jan. 10, at the Slate/Intelligence Squared debate in New York, Miller will argue against the motion “The United Nations should admit Palestine as a full member state.” Read an interview with fellow naysayer Dore Gold here. Evaluate a counterargument by Mustafa Barghouti, who supports the motion, here.