Palestine Snap Analysis: As Latin Americans Give Recognition, Where Are Washington's "Vital Security Interests"?

On Monday, Argentine and Uruguay followed Brazil's recognition of the state of Palestine based on 1967 borders.  Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman read the letter sent by President Cristina Kirchner wrote to Palestinian Authority leader Mahmud Abbas: "The Argentine government recognizes Palestine as a free and independent state within the borders defined in 1967." 

Uruguayan deputy foreign minister Roberto Conde said, "Uruguay will surely follow the same path as Argentina in 2011. We are working towards opening a diplomatic representation in Palestine, most likely in Ramallah." 

Israel's response was sharp. Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor warned, "This regrettable decision will not help at all to change the situation between Israel and the Palestinians."

In contrast, while on his way to Ankara, Abbas expressed his "pride" over the decision by Buenos Aires. His foreign minister, Riad al-Malki, told Agence France Presse that Paraguay was next on the list to recognize Palestine. 

Despite condemnation by US lawmakers of Brazil's decision as "severely misguided" and "regrettable", the State Department announced on Monday that Washington and Brasilia had "agreed on open skies". The statement said: "Negotiators for the United States and Brazil initialed a text for a new air transport agreement in Rio de Janeiro on December 3, 2010, which once formally approved will establish an Open Skies air transportation relationship between our two countries."

So now a question for Washington. If the Americans see a Israeli weapons development facility as "vital to US interests" and President Obama has declared that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was a "vital national security interest", can the Administration also keep Congress from refusing the deal with the Brazilians?