The United Nations General Assembly is set to vote on a draft resolution that could potentially recognize the Palestinians as qualified for full UN membership. This move comes after the United States vetoed a similar bid in the UN Security Council last month. The draft resolution also recommends that the UN Security Council “reconsider the matter favorably,” indicating a shift in global sentiment towards the Palestinian cause.
The General Assembly, comprised of 193 member states, is expected to show strong support for the Palestinian bid. However, some diplomats have raised concerns about the current text of the resolution, which not only grants additional rights and privileges to the Palestinians but also sets a precedent for similar situations involving other territories like Kosovo and Taiwan.
Israel’s UN Ambassador, Gilad Erdan, has strongly denounced the draft resolution, arguing that it would effectively grant the Palestinians the status and rights of a state, contradicting the principles of the UN Charter. Erdan has warned that if the resolution is approved, the United States may cease funding the UN and its institutions, as mandated by American law.
The United States has expressed its reservations about the resolution, emphasizing that the path to statehood for the Palestinian people should be through direct negotiations. Under US law, Washington cannot fund any UN organization that grants full membership to entities that do not possess the “internationally recognized attributes” of statehood. This stance was evident in 2011 when the US halted funding for UNESCO after the Palestinians were granted full membership.
The Palestinians currently hold the status of a non-member observer state, a de facto recognition of statehood bestowed by the UN General Assembly in 2012. The Palestinian mission to the UN in New York has yet to comment on their efforts to secure full UN membership.
The timing of the Palestinian push for full UN membership is significant, coming amidst a protracted conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and Israel’s continued expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank. The UN considers these settlements illegal and has long advocated for a two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine coexisting within secure and recognized borders.
The Palestinians aspire to establish a state in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, territories that were captured by Israel in 1967. The outcome of the General Assembly vote could have far-reaching implications for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the broader Middle East region.
As the international community awaits the General Assembly’s decision, all eyes are on how member states will vote on this critical issue. The resolution could potentially reshape the dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and pave the way for renewed efforts towards a lasting peace agreement.