THE US voted against Palestine’s request to the United Nations Security Council for full U.N. membership.
This move blocked the international body’s recognition of its statehood.
This is also a widely-supported resolution that would have approved Palestine becoming a new member of the United Nations.
“Will those in favor…please raise their hand…those against? Abstentions? The result of the vote is as follows: 12 votes in favor, one vote against, two abstentions. The draft resolution has not been adopted, owing to the negative vote of a permanent member of the council,” according to Vanessa Frazier, Permanent Representative of Malta to UN | UNSC President.
The 15-member council voted on a draft resolution that recommends to the 193-member United Nations General Assembly that the state of Palestine be admitted to membership of the united nations–and due to the U.S. voting against this request–it blocked the UN’s recognition of a Palestinian state.
The draft resolution received 12 votes in favor, 2 abstentions, from the United Kingdom and Switzerland, and one vote against.
A UN Council resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and zero veto by the U.S., France, Britain, Russia, or China, to pass.
And now, because Washington used its veto power— it effectively blocked the resolution despite securing 12 votes in favor.
US Ambassador Robert Wood explained Washington’s decision to veto the resolution.
Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said this marked the fifth time the US has vetoed a council resolution since the beginning of hostilities in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong said the establishment of an independent state is an inalienable right that cannot be questioned. He also stressed that Palestine’s admission as a full member of the United States would help in negotiations with Israel on a two-state solution.
Riyad Mansour, Palestine’s Representative to the UN, vowed that despite the rejection, Palestine will not stop pursuing statehood.
On the other hand, Israeli Ambassador Gildan Erdad stressed that the Palestine authority is a terror-supporting entity and Palestinians do.
Palestine has sought full membership for years. The Palestine liberation organization was granted observer status at the United Nations in 1974.
The Palestinian mission to the UN initially requested full U.N. member-state status in 2011.
Their first attempt failed because they did not receive the necessary minimum support of nine out of the 15 members of the Security Council.
In 2012, the Palestinians approached the U.N. General Assembly again. At that time, they successfully achieved an upgrade of their status from “U.N. Observer” to “Non-Member Observer State” by securing more than a two-thirds majority vote.
This status allowed Palestinian territories to join various U.N. and international organizations, such as the International Criminal Court.
Earlier April, Palestine’s renewed request for full member-state status at the UN was evaluated by the committee on the admission of new members.
Palestine’s bid for full un membership at security council blocked.
This revival of their membership bid in early April was supported by the 140 countries that recognize Palestine as an independent state.
