MY first visit to the Church of the Nativity was as a nine-year-old boy on a school excursion. Travelling from Nablus, which is home to a dominant Muslim populace, a small energetic Christian community and a Samaritan-Jewish hamlet, my friends and I were awed into silence as we entered the radiant Byzantine basilica.
To awe a nine-year-old, and in a church, is no small achievement. But it is impossible, regardless of faith or no faith, to not be moved by this ancient sacred place and to know that for nearly 20 centuries it has been universally cherished as the birthplace of Jesus Christ.
Palestine's UNESCO membership supports the protection and preservation of cultural riches that are the inheritance of all people. The Church of the Nativity, Jericho -- the oldest inhabited city in the world -- Abraham's Tomb in Hebron and the Dead Sea, a natural wonder as extraordinary as the Great Barrier Reef, are a few of the man-made and natural riches within the occupied Palestinian territory.
Israeli occupation has not seen the protection and preservation of these riches. Israeli occupation has seen deliberate neglect, damage and the ongoing seizure of Palestine's cultural heritage and territory as its own, violently and with impunity, excluding the interests and rights of all others.
Where Israel seeks these sites and the occupied Palestinian territory as its own, Palestine is committed to the protection and preservation of these treasures. Palestine is also wholly committed to achieving the territorial integrity and sovereignty needed to ensure effective negotiations, peace and security.
Those who suggest Palestinian membership of UNESCO is meaningless or that it will not bring peace fail to understand the cumulative nature of statehood and the responsibilities that exist with statehood.
Statehood comes by declaration and recognition. Recognition is cumulative and by repeated small measures Palestine acquires the legal and political standing of a state, including territorial sovereignty. As a state, Palestine can fully access international and humanitarian law, the enforceable framework for justice, equity and peace.
Support for negotiations between Palestine and Israel is strong. But negotiations are not simple, uncommitted, extended talks. Negotiations are the development of mutually agreed, just and enforceable decisions about issues that are vital to the future peace of both Palestine and Israel.
Productive negotiations can occur only within a clear and enforceable framework and the only framework of that type in existence is international and humanitarian law, including UN resolutions.
Rather than UNESCO membership and Palestinian statehood being in opposition to negotiations, Palestinian sovereignty and statehood will make negotiations effective and productive by requiring all parties to adhere to all their responsibilities.
It is little wonder that those who prefer rhetoric and the status quo are describing UNESCO membership and the recognition of Palestinian statehood that UNESCO membership brings as misguided, deluded and grandstanding. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Speaking to Australian people, the overwhelming reaction to Australia's vote was dismay, disappointment, embarrassment and even shame. Australia could have abstained and, through abstention, sent a strong message to Israel about its need to commit to productive negotiations and to stop acting against the secure future of its own people.
Instead, it seems, Australia preferred to deny the importance of the cultural heritage held in sacred trust by Palestine, deny the central role of effective and productive negotiations in creating peace and sadly, to harm Australia's international interests. Australia rightfully seeks to play a key role in the international arena with a part of this role being a non-permanent seat in the Security Council in 2013. Australian commitment to peace within the international arena through previous actions such as UN operations and involvement in East Timor and Cambodia is well-proven.
But Finland and Luxembourg, the two other contenders for the 2013 seat, voted yes to UNESCO membership and yes to Palestinian sovereignty. These two other contenders voted yes to strengthening Palestine's position in future and effective negotiations. Sadly, I believe the international community will view the position of Finland and Luxembourg as contributing to a genuine and durable peace and Australia's position as failing to support peace.
Palestine will achieve statehood. The peace process is irreversible. Negotiations will be resumed. Palestinian people and all people genuinely seeking peace are committed to negotiations being effective and enforceable.
UNESCO membership is a first step towards this peace through the strengthening of Palestinian sovereignty. The next step is a UN vote on Palestine's status within the international body.
I hope that Australia will robustly support a durable peace for the people of Palestine and of Israel, a people affected by decades of conflict and the insecurity, fear and human suffering that conflict brings.
It is also my hope that despite a no vote on Palestinian membership of UNESCO, Australia will in the future, value and support Palestine's ability to protect its cultural heritage, a heritage held in trust for a world of which Australia is part.
Izzat Abdulhadi is ambassador and head of the General Delegation of Palestine to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific
