Andrey Rushkovsky is a journalist, editor-in-chief of Ukrainian site www.vipua.com

This news sounded like a bolt from the blue. The UN Security Council recognized the legality of the Palestinian State. The Arab world may celebrate victory, if one considers the war in the Middle East between two sovereign states as a progress.

From the very beginning the United Stases were extremely energetic. It's absolutely clear that it was the Americans who pushed the resolution through the Security Council. Official explanation: opposition on the Holy Land is at the boiling point - terrorists of all sorts kill pacific Israelis in dozens, while Israeli soldiers shoot off Palestinian people even in bigger numbers - there is no patience anymore!

To tell the truth, there is one more explanation of Americans' swiftness that suggests itself: it's likely that the States are going to carry out an anti terrorist operation on the territory of Iraq. To execute such an undertaking it's necessary to have at least loyal attitude from the side of the majority of Moslem States. Here comes the charity - the creation of Palestinian State. In fact, the resolution of the UN Security Council in its consistency and richness of content reminds the resolution of a party meeting at some Soviet factory by precedent of drunken brawl between employees, let's say, personnel department chief, retired colonel "Sharonov" and civil defense chief "Arafatenko". The SC demanded " to immediately cease any acts of violence, including all forms of terror, provocation, incitement and damnification".

However the entire world had known it before that violence and damnification is wrong.

For greater show the SC called up "Israeli and Palestinian sides and its leaders for collaboration", which implies the reopening of negotiations for political regulation. Recently such calls are heard daily though.

The third and fourth clauses of the resolution, as a matter of fact, look like curtseys: one is addressed to Koffy Annan and other politicians (it is said that they "help the sides to stop violence and reopen peaceful policy"), the other is addressed to themselves (SC "makes decision to prolong control over the situation"). The fruit obtained from this control needs no comments.

Now we can fancy about the consequences of the recognition of the Palestinian State by the SC. It's clear that there is a sumptuous feast on the territory of Palestine (just like after the act of terrorism in New York). All are in triumph, throw up their hats and machine guns.

Arafat in his turn nicely bows and shows two of his fingers, that is to say "we have won". There is no reason for such a feast though. A new state must have a new president. Elections should be assigned, while the United States along with other Arab forces will do their best not to let Arafat become the president. Everybody is fed up with his policy. Yasir can't hold the power anymore. Here is the main thing - how will Sharon's government act? Probably there would be no corrections: you there in New York, resolve your global problems, while we in Palestine will resolve ours.

Any attack from Arab side will be met with a three-fold stronger response. External reaction is interesting to Israel to some degree. Certainly, the US are wrong, by betraying their traditional ally, but they unlikely to refuse financial support, that is the main thing. But if Bush twitch in that direction, the Jewish lobby in the US will commit massacre of St. Bartholomew to him!

However, Sharon may choose some other way. You want independence? Take it. But the frontiers are locked - live your life and don't thrust your nose into ours, if you are so independent. To make a living on this territory is almost impossible. In the Gaza strip there is nothing to do at all, unless build pyramids akin to Egyptian ones, only of sand. Palestine people can survive only on Israeli territory. Therefore instead of peace in exchange for territories there are boundary posts in exchange for starvation rations. The worst is still to come. Israeli may lead much more cruel game. Of course, it's not easy to decide this, if the dialogue will continue in the form of ultimatums, it's very likely they make up their mind on that. Sharon is quite ready to recall the 1940s and make the second effort of turning dependent on him state into purely Jewish one. That is to make a small migration of nations and drive out ALL Arabs to their legal territories.

Such a step, of course, will be akin to biblical cruelty, majority of Arabs living on the territory of Israel doesn't even think of independent Palestine after all. Their life is good now. They merely sympathize with their colleagues in Jordan and even in Egypt, because they don't even dream of such a high-rate life. But Sharon, in fact, can make this step. But this is already open war and war with the entire Moslem world. But, in fact, the war is inevitable anyway. Even if we suppose that Palestine people will get settled peacefully within new frontiers, and American airplanes will deliver them to Syria and even Egypt for earnings, there still remains an apple of discord, which Israeli and Palestine people will have to share to the end of the days. This is Jerusalem.

Arabs will never abandon their sacred place and will never give out Omar's mosque and the start ground of Mohammed's ascension, while Jew are not going to bear with the existence of some other beliefs next to the Wailing Wall. Certainly, there is possible lead-in of American or UNO peace-making forces, so that they'll be playing the role of pillow. But it's very difficult to imagine how young people in blue helmets will keep narrow streets of Jerusalem in order before Friday prayer in the mosque...