UN mistakenly tweets one-state endorsement ahead of vote on Palestine

Although United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a message marking what the U.N. recognizes as International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, advocated a two-state solution in the region, the U.N. Twitter account misquoted him as advocating a one-state solution.

On Day of Solidarity w/ Palestinians, Ban Ki-moon stresses urgency of reaching 2-state solution j.mp/Shm6tH (corrected tweet)

— United Nations (@UN) November 29, 2012

The original tweet was deleted and replaced with a correct quote, but Mother Jones preserved the deleted tweet and reported it was live for more than half an hour.

The United Nations is expected to pass a pass vote raising Palestinians’ status from “permanent observer” to a “nonmember observer state” on Thursday. Various lawmakers in the United States have called for consequences such as cutting off aid to the Palestinians. The Obama administration considers the action one that undercuts peace negotiations.

Several members of Congress, including Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) and Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), took to Twitter to voice their disapproval.

The path to peace for Palestinians should be at a negotiating table with Israel, not in a building in the East 40s in New York City.

— Steve Israel (@RepSteveIsrael) November 29, 2012

I fear the Palestinian Authority will now be able to use the United Nations as a political club against Israel.

— Lindsey Graham (@GrahamBlog) November 29, 2012

Attn @un Members: Palestinian #UN resolution is NOT the way 2 go. Peace must come through negotiations w/ Israel not biased #UN resolutions.

— Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (@RosLehtinen) November 27, 2012

Today’s vote in the United Nations is tragic for Israel’s security and rewards terrorist-designated Hamas for rockets fired on Israel.

— Michele Bachmann (@MicheleBachmann) November 29, 2012