The Palestinian National Flag hoists Palestinian Mission in Washington

On 18 January 2011 a step was made that has many Americans and Israelis concerned. For the first time, the PLO hoisted its flag above its Washington mission, saying the symbolic step shows progress in the US-Palestinian relationship. “It’s about time that this flag that symbolizes the struggle of the Palestinian people for self-determination and statehood be raised in the United States,” PLO Chief of Mission Maen Areikat said. “I think it indicates the willingness of the American administration to deal with the realities on the ground.” The timing of the raising of the flag was telling. The flag was raised after a short ceremony, and took place after Russia reaffirmed its recognition of a PA state in Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem. Earlier in the day PA chief Mahmoud Abbas met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev who stated that Russia “supported and will support the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to an independent state with its capital in east Jerusalem." This comes as no surprise! According to Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki most of the world’s nations will announce recognition of a Palestinian state by September 2011. Malki told a group of Palestinian journalists in the West Bank city of Ramallah that “The majority of the international community will recognize an independent Palestinian state”. On 10 October 2010 WND ran a story that the Obama administration supports the concept of the Palestinian Authority opening an airport near Jerusalem. With all that is going on I want to encourage people to join us on our tour to Israel in November 2011 to show our support of Israel, to show that not everyone in America wants to buddy up to create a Palestinian state.