The Palestinians are scurrying around the U.N. this week attempting to elevate their status to statehood in an historic move to establish the first openly and unashamedly racist and intolerant nation. Of course there are other countries where life for minorities is living hell, but up to now there has been an effort to cover up such moral decrepitude. The Palestinians are forging new ground in letting the world know that their state will hang a sign for all to see "No Jews and no gays allowed."

While over a million Arabs live in Israel, the Palestinian Authority has made it perfectly clear that as in Gaza right now, not a single Jew will be permitted to live in the new "Palestine." Lest we in the democratic West not get the point, PA President Mahmoud Abbas repeated his mantra "No Jews in a future Palestinian state." On Dec. 25, 2010 in Ramallah and on May 28, 2011 at the Arab League meeting in Qatar.  The "No Jews Allowed" founding principle was reinforced on September 14, 2011 by Maen Areikat, PLO Ambassador to the United States. He did not elaborate on how half a million Jews were to be disposed.

In the same interview, Maen Areikat was asked whether homosexuals could live in a future Palestine. Dodging the question he said, "Ah, this is an issue that's beyond my [authority]." The answer can certainly be taken as a "no" since the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza have formed a unity government and in Gaza homosexuality is a capital crime. The frightening future for gays in the new "Palestine" leaves little room for doubt.

It would be a comfort to believe that such vile intolerance is limited to the leadership and does not reflect the will of the Palestinian people. Unfortunately a steady diet of hate education has been very effective. In a recent poll, 73% of Palestinians agree with the Hamas Charter article mandating the murder of Jews, all Jews. Since 93% of Palestinian people think Israel does not have right exist as a homeland for the Jewish people, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Tel Aviv must also be ethnically cleansed.

The Palestinian people are no more ready to accept homosexuals than they are Jews. An overwhelming majority (82 %) feel that homosexuality should be punishable by law.

Currently Palestinian gays who fear being exposed run to Israel for safe haven.

In the new "Palestine," there will be no refuge.

This week, the world's democracies face a vote not for a Palestinian state (which was offered numerous times through negotiations) but for upgrading the status of racism and intolerance.