On Friday, the United Nations Security Council is set to vote on a Palestinian application for full United Nations membership, according to diplomatic sources. This decision may face opposition from the United States, a close ally of Israel, as it would essentially acknowledge the establishment of a Palestinian state.
At 3 p.m. (1900 GMT) on Friday, the 15-member council is scheduled to vote on a proposed resolution. This resolution suggests to the 193-member UN General Assembly that “the State of Palestine should be admitted as a member of the United Nations.”
According to diplomatic sources, the resolution requires at least nine affirmative votes and no vetoes from the United States, Britain, France, Russia, or China to be approved. These sources predict that the measure may gain the support of up to 13 council members, potentially leading the US to exercise its veto power.
The Algerian council member, proposing the draft resolution, sought a Thursday afternoon vote, aligning with a Security Council meeting on Middle East matters anticipated to involve multiple ministers. The U.S. maintains that the creation of an autonomous Palestinian state should be achieved via direct talks between the involved parties, rather than at the United Nations.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, stated on Wednesday that achieving a two-state solution through a resolution in the Security Council is not guaranteed. The Palestinian territory holds the status of a non-member observer state, which was granted by the 193-member UN General Assembly in 2012.
However, to become a full UN member, their application must be approved by the Security Council and then receive support from at least two-thirds of the General Assembly.
‘PEACE-LOVING STATES’
The United Nations Security Council has historically supported the concept of two states coexisting within mutually recognized and secure borders. Palestinians aspire to establish a nation encompassing the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, territories occupied by Israel since 1967.
Despite the Oslo Accords, signed between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the early 1990s, significant advancements towards Palestinian statehood have been scarce. This pursuit for full UN membership coincides with the sixth month of a conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza, as well as Israel’s ongoing expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Last week, a Security Council committee comprising all 15 members convened twice to review the Palestinian application for membership. They agreed to submit a report on this matter on Tuesday. However, the committee could not reach a unanimous decision, as there were differing opinions within the group.
The report mentioned that the application’s adherence to all membership criteria was a point of contention. According to the United Nations, membership is open to peace-loving states that accept the obligations outlined in the U.N. Charter and are prepared to fulfill them.
