Abbas petitions Latin America

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is making the rounds in Latin America, pressing his case for statehood.

It’ll be an interesting test of how independent the region feels from the United States, which has placed itself squarely on the side of Israel.

Economic growth in Latin America, and greater ties to China and with other Latin American countries, may have created the space some countries would need to go against American policy on this issue.

This excellent analysis breaks down the position of Colombia, a recipient of buckets of American and Israeli aid — the first stop Abbas will make in the region.

Abbas is trying to gather enough support from Security Council countries to approve his bid for U.N. membership.

The U.S., which holds veto power, has already promised to kill the measure even if he garners the votes he needs.

Still, a Security Council vote in favor of statehood would be an embarrassment to the U.S., and put it in an awkward position as it tries to rehabilitate its image in the Arab world.

Already, Abbas has said that eight countries have agreed to back Palestine: Russia, China, Gabon, Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, Lebanon and India. He needs one more.

Colombia is a rotating member of the Security Council that might be interested in asserting itself in the global arena, particularly as it warms up relations with Venezuela and other countries in the region.

Or is Abbas just wasting his time?