Your task is to extract the thesis of an opinionated news article by selecting some of its text segments. The thesis is a summarization of what the author wants to persuade the reader of. Your answer should consist of segments of the given text. Note that you are not allowed to combine different sentences.

Example Input: Palestine's wasted time at the UN. Even by the standards of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the Palestinian Authority's just-thwarted attempt at a UN Security Council resolution was a spectacular waste of time, and needlessly handed Israel a symbolic diplomatic victory . The draft - which called for peace with Israel within a year, and an end to the occupation by 2017- fell one yes vote short of the minimum nine required in the 15-member Council . Five countries abstained , and two - the US and Australia - voted no . Draft resolutions are usually preceded by consultations with Council members, so whoever submits them knows, beforehand, which way the vote will go . This draft was no different . In fact ,  insufficient support among Council members was the initial reason given months ago by the PA for a delay in the vote . As such, it must have known prior to presenting the draft that it would fail , so why go through with it? In fact ,  why did the PA try to push through a resolution in the first place? Even if it mustered the minimum votes , the US would have used its veto , and the PA knew it . Not only have the Americans consistently scuppered any resolution that places even the slightest criticism or pressure on Israel , but Washington had been explicit about its intention to use its veto this time round if necessary . As such, it is puzzling that Jordan's UN Ambassador Dina Kawar, whose country submitted the draft with the backing of the PA and the Arab League, said she thought Council members should have had more time to discuss the proposal . What would be the point in the face of an assured American veto? The only way Washington would acquiesce was if the resolution called for an end to the Palestinian occupation of Israel . This makes PA President Mahmoud Abbas's recent statement that he had repeatedly postponed the resolution due to US pressure equally puzzling . Did he actually think anything he could say or do would lead to the US dropping such pressure, or that it would accept the draft that was presented? In any case, months of consultations and various reasons for delays only resulted in the continued watering down of the text . This led to widespread Palestinian condemnation, from the public and from every faction . Among the most prominent critics is the widely popular senior Fatah figure Marwan Barghouti , whose party dominates the PA and includes Abbas . Barghouti described the text as an "unjustified fallback which will adversely affect the Palestinian position" . Moreover ,  the draft was not put forward as a Chapter VII resolution , which would entail punitive measures for lack of compliance . As such , even if it was passed , Israel - which flatly condemned the PA's push from the outset- would be free to ignore it without consequence , as it has done with all the numerous Security Council resolutions over the decades . Indeed ,  the draft did not contain any wording that would cause Israel to worry . Given that the US veto shields Israel , and that existing resolutions are ignored with impunity , it is astounding that the PA had any faith left in the Council to attempt its latest futile exercise at statehood . Even the response of its UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour was telling in this regard ; "The Security Council has once again failed to uphold its charter duties to address this crises and to meaningfully contribute to a lasting solution in accordance with its own resolutions." It has long been clear that the UN is a highly unlikely place for Palestinians to seek justice , as the consistent wishes and support of the international community for their cause is held hostage by just one country . The very notion of Security Council vetoes makes the UN an inherently and woefully undemocratic institution . The irony is that in the case of Palestine, a democracy is to blame . The US ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, had the gall to say the resolution undermined efforts to "achieve two states for two people" . The entire point of the resolution was to create a state that the existing state is determined to deny . As such, one wonders if she even read the draft . It seems the mere mention of Israel automatically triggers an American veto . This whole months-long affair was an obvious exercise in futility , during which time Israel has further entrenched its occupation and colonisation of Palestine . The day after the resolution failed , Abbas signed a document requesting membership of the International Criminal Court . Given numerous previous threats to join the ICC, this is a welcome development . However ,  he should have done this the moment Palestine's upgraded status at the UN allowed it do so more than two years ago . Amid Israel's relentless colonisation and occupation, and after more than 20 years of fruitless negotiations, the Palestinians do not have the luxury of waiting indefinitely for statehood . As such, the PA must act with the necessary urgency and focus .
Example Output: Even by the standards of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the Palestinian Authority's just-thwarted attempt at a UN Security Council resolution was a spectacular waste of time, and needlessly handed Israel a symbolic diplomatic victory The draft - which called for peace with Israel within a year, and an end to the occupation by 2017- fell one yes vote short of the minimum nine required in the 15-member Council

Example Input: Last minute Christmas shopping: Five things to avoid. This weekend millions of Americans will take to the mall to get last-minute gifts for their loved ones . They will pour through the already-picked-over selections to try and find "the gift." For those of you who are forced into the mall this weekend : I'm sorry . Here are five things to avoid as we enter the final shopping days before Christmas . 1 \. Believe the best bargains are found if you wait until the last minute . While it's true , retailers are starting their after-Christmas sales earlier than ever - just as the Christmas shopping season starts before you get to Thanksgiving dessert - seasoned shoppers know(1) value and(2) bargain do not mean the same thing . We all know just because something is cheap doesn't mean it's "a bargain" or a "value." It's only a bargain if it is truly something you want or need, and are able to get it at a deep discount . Often last minute shoppers don't know what they want . For those shopping this weekend you will have to settle for what circumstances present , which in many cases will be cheap materials, but not a bargains . The value is the ratio of quality (or quantity) to price . Low quality at a low price is no value , especially when compared to high quality at a low price . Values tend go early in the holiday shopping season . Cheap stays on the shelf until it's all that's left . 2 . Believe there is still money to spend in your budget this month . Last minute shopping, particularly for December, means buying during the back half of the month . That's typically when most income for the month is already committed , and any incremental spending means "borrowing against the future." It's better to buy early - and spread the purchasing over time - so you can more easily absorb the expense . Nobody likes that "January surprise." And for new last- minute shoppers, that surprise can be surprisingly BIG! 3 . Believe you can still find "just the right gift for Uncle George." Waiting until the last minute to shop means having to make compromises . Time and selection are your two greatest "friends" when you shop early . But for last minute shoppers they become your two greatest nightmares : you're pressed for time and all the best colors, sizes and values, are gone . Don't put yourself under a lot of pressure to find that perfect gift . At this stage in the game, a gift will do . 4 . Believe you still need "just one more" gift . We should all take a lesson out of Santa's playbook: 1. Make a list. 2. Check it twice . Too often last minute shopping isn't just an indication you've waited to the bitter end to buy those needed gifts . It also means you've waited too long to plan that shopping . And when that happens you're never quite sure if you have all the gifts you need (it seems keeping track of what you've bought is just as hard as planning what to buy in advance!) . So you keep buying just one more gift... just to make sure you've covered all your bases . By the way, that's when shoppers are especially susceptible to impulse buying . An attention-arresting display will attract last minute shoppers like honey attracts flies! 5 . Believe that the shopper has the advantage . While it is true that the Saturday before Christmas is still one of the busiest shopping days of the year , the advantage has swung back in favor of the retailer . With fewer hours to shop until Santa fills his sack, the retailer has the upper hand , especially if they've had a strong Q4 . For some, shopping the weekend before Christmas can bring the ultimate sense of that holiday experience . For those who enjoy shopping as a pastime, it's one of the best times to be in the mall , but for those folks who need to fulfill a shopping list, it can be one of the worst . The early bird still does get the worm . And the late bird gets ... the opportunity to pick over the dregs with a lot of other "late birds." With the brief time remaining before Christmas, use it to "shop for fun" not for necessity . It will truly help keep you in the Christmas spirit .
Example Output: Here are five things to avoid as we enter the final shopping days before Christmas This weekend millions of Americans will take to the mall to get last-minute gifts for their loved ones

Example Input: We are the last generation that can fight climate change. We have a duty to act. This year the UN marks its 70th anniversary . Sadly, there is little time for reflection or celebration . More pressing are the competing demands and challenges fuelled by an upsurge in conflict, disease and human suffering . These compel the international community to step up and provide the leadership needed to tackle them . Ebola continues to plague west Africa . For some of the affected countries, struggling to overcome the effects of bitter civil war, the outbreak has been a major setback for development . We are beginning to see some improvements . During my visit to the region in December, I was deeply moved by the efforts of local Ebola responders and health workers from across Africa and the world . But rebuilding shattered lives and economies will require significantly more resources and long-term commitment . As conflicts raged and extremism rose , 2014 pushed the UN's humanitarian, peacekeeping and diplomatic efforts to the limit . More than 100 million people needed assistance . An unprecedented number of UN troops and police are deployed in highly volatile security environments . The elimination of Syria's chemical weapons programme was a major achievement , but the conflict continues to inflict immense suffering and will soon enter its fifth year . As bitter winter conditions set in , millions of refugees are in need of life-saving humanitarian assistance . The presence of thousands of foreign terrorist fighters there and in Iraq has added a further volatile dimension . Groups responsible for atrocities have capitalised on a legacy of atrocious governance towards disenfranchised populations . Our response to brutality and extremism cannot be limited to military action, important as it is . We must address the conditions that give rise to such poison in the first place . In the same vein, those conducting military actions against terrorists must be sure that such efforts fully observe human rights . As we have seen time and again , failure to do so can end up serving as a recruiting agent for terrorists . Elsewhere, the recent appalling terrorist attacks in Paris show how vulnerable any society can be . Countries in Europe and elsewhere have witnessed a deeply worrying escalation of tensions between communities and within societies . Giving in to hatred and sowing division only guarantees a spiral of violence- precisely what terrorists seek . We must not fall into that trap . Addressing discord in a manner that solves, rather than multiplies, the problem may be the greatest test our human family faces in the 21st century . There is a long list of other hot-spots- stretching from Nigeria to Yemen, from the rise in fighting in Darfur to the transition in Afghanistan . Conflict in Ukraine has endangered security and stability in Europe, and reanimated the ghosts of the cold war . Israelis and Palestinians must ease the explosive situation in Gaza and the West Bank, and move away from confrontation and towards a negotiated settlement . But in a year marked by turmoil, UN member states have also proposed an initial draft set of sustainable development goals that will guide anti- poverty efforts for the next generation . Further negotiations will begin this month and culminate at a special summit in New York in September with the adoption of a development agenda that can help tackle inequality, empower women and girls, and promote shared prosperity . Climate action took on significant momentum with major announcements by the EU, the US and China, and a successful climate conference in Lima, Peru , that kept complex negotiations on track . We must aim high: for the adoption of an ambitious and universal agreement in Paris in December to keep the rise in global temperatures below the dangerous threshold of 2C . Ours is the first generation that can end poverty, and the last that can take steps to avoid the worst impacts of climate change . In this 70th anniversary year in which we renew our commitment to the goals and principles of the UN charter, the international community must rise to the moment .
Example Output:
Ours is the first generation that can end poverty, and the last that can take steps to avoid the worst impacts of climate change