The United States blocked the U.N. Security Council on Thursday from advancing a Palestinian bid for full membership as a state at the United Nations, thwarting an attempt by Palestinian allies to garner support from the world body.
The vote resulted in 12 countries supporting the resolution, with only the United States opposing it and Britain and Switzerland abstaining.
Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour described the full-member status bid as an endeavor to rightfully join the international community.
Following the vote, Mr. Mansour passionately defended the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, stated that the rejected proposal was shameful and emphasized that terrorism should not be rewarded.
Although the Security Council has consistently pushed for a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, negotiations have failed to materialize the desired outcome. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield remarked that the new resolution would not bring the two-state solution any closer.
The United States, as one of the five permanent members of the Council, retained the power to veto any action. During a Council meeting addressing Middle East issues, the U.S. vetoed the Palestinian bid for full U.N. membership.
The resolution sought Security Council endorsement for Palestinian membership in the U.N., requiring at least nine favorable votes with no veto from the permanent members. Additionally, two-thirds of the General Assembly would have needed to approve it.
While full U.N. membership would have been a symbolic win for the Palestinian Authority, crucial issues such as borders and diplomatic relations would still need resolution.
Despite ongoing efforts, little progress has been made in achieving Palestinian statehood since the Oslo Accords in the early 1990s. The conflict has escalated, involving Hamas attacks on Israel and subsequent retaliatory actions, leading to widespread casualties and displacement.
