US vetoes UN resolution backing full UN membership for Palestine

NEW DELHI: The United States, on Thursday used its veto power to block a UN resolution that had widespread support. This resolution aimed to facilitate full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine. Among the 15 members of the Security Council, 12 voted in favor, while the United States opposed, and two abstained.

The resolution sought to suggest to the 193-member General Assembly, where vetoes do not apply, the approval of Palestine’s admission as the 194th member of the United Nations. With approximately 140 countries already recognizing the state of Palestine, its admission would likely have been endorsed.

Before the vote, U.S. deputy State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said the United States has “been very clear consistently that premature actions in New York – even with the best intentions – will not achieve statehood for the Palestinian people.”

Prior to the vote, US deputy State Department spokesman Vedant Patel emphasized that the United States “been very clear consistently that premature actions in New York – even with the best intentions – will not achieve statehood for the Palestinian people.”

This is the second Palestinian attempt for full membership and it comes as the war in Gaza has put the more than 75-year-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict at center stage.

Earlier today in response to a media query about the US’ vote on the UNSC resolution for Palestinian statehood, Patel said, “Since October 7, we have been pretty clear that sustainable peace in the region can only be achieved through a two-state solution with Israel’s security guaranteed. It remains our view that the most expeditious path towards statehood for the Palestinian people is through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, with the support of the United States and other partners who share this goal.”

“We believe this approach can tangibly advance Palestinian goals in a meaningful and enduring way. We have also been very clear that consistently premature actions in New York, even with the best intentions, will not achieve statehood for the Palestinian people,” he added.

He also said that there was a lack of consensus among the 15 members of the Security Council regarding whether the Palestinian Authority had fulfilled the requirements for membership. He reiterated the longstanding call from the US for the Palestinian Authority to enact essential reforms aimed at achieving the necessary prerequisites for statehood. “

Additionally, as reflected in the report of the admission committee, there was not unanimity among committee members as to whether the applicant met the criteria of membership set forth in Article 4 of the UN Charter; specifically, there are unresolved questions as to whether the applicant can meet criteria to be considered a state,” Patel said.

“We have long called on the Palestinian authority to undertake necessary reforms to establish the attributes of readiness for statehood and note that Hamas, a terrorist organisation, is currently exerting power and influence in Gaza, which would be an integral part of the envisioned state in this resolution. For that reason, the US is voting ‘no’ on this proposed Security Council resolution,” he explained further.

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