Currently, the Palestinians hold observer status at the U.N. General Assembly, a designation granted in 2012…reports Asian Lite News
The United Nations Security Council committee tasked with evaluating the Palestinian Authority’s application for full U.N. membership has encountered a deadlock, as reported by Reuters on Tuesday. Despite deliberations, the committee failed to reach a unanimous recommendation regarding whether the Palestinian Authority met the necessary criteria.
Nonetheless, the Palestinian Authority intends to proceed with its efforts to secure a vote within the 15-member Security Council, potentially as soon as this week, diplomats indicated. If successful, this resolution would signify formal recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state within the international community.
Currently, the Palestinians hold observer status at the U.N. General Assembly, a designation granted in 2012. However, achieving full U.N. membership requires approval from the Security Council, where the United States, a staunch ally of Israel, retains the power to veto such a decision. Additionally, approval from at least two-thirds of the General Assembly is necessary.
The United States reiterated its stance earlier this month, asserting that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state should be the outcome of direct negotiations between the concerned parties, rather than through unilateral action at the United Nations.
The longstanding vision endorsed by the U.N. Security Council involves the coexistence of two states—Israel and Palestine—within secure and recognized borders. Palestinians aspire to establish their state in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, territories occupied by Israel since 1967.
However, progress towards Palestinian statehood has been minimal since the signing of the Oslo Accords in the early 1990s. The Palestinian Authority’s pursuit of full U.N. membership occurs against the backdrop of heightened tensions, including the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, as well as Israel’s ongoing expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The Security Council committee, comprising all 15 council members, convened twice last week to discuss the Palestinian application. Despite these discussions, the committee’s report acknowledged the existence of differing viewpoints among its members, resulting in an inability to reach a unanimous recommendation regarding the Palestinian Authority’s eligibility for full U.N. membership.
According to the U.N. Charter, membership is extended to “peace-loving states” willing to uphold the obligations outlined in the Charter.
