The United Nations General Assembly is considering a draft resolution that would recognize Palestinians as eligible for full U.N. membership. This vote would serve as a global survey of support for the Palestinian bid, which was previously vetoed by the U.S. in the Security Council. Some critics argue that this resolution could set a precedent, pointing to examples like Kosovo and Taiwan. The General Assembly is expected to vote on this resolution on Friday, and if approved, it would recommend that the U.N. Security Council reconsider the Palestinians favorably. An application for full U.N. membership must first be approved by the Security Council and then the General Assembly, with diplomats predicting strong support for the Palestinian bid.
The current draft of the resolution has raised some concerns among diplomats, as it grants additional rights and privileges to the Palestinians, short of full membership. This has caused backlash from Israel’s U.N. Ambassador, who claims that the resolution would give the Palestinians de facto statehood status and rights, in opposition to the founding U.N. Charter. If approved, Israel expects the U.S. to cease funding the U.N. and its institutions, as per American law. Under U.S. law, funding cannot be provided to any U.N. organization that grants full membership to a group that does not meet the “internationally recognized attributes” of statehood, resulting in the cessation of funding for UNESCO after the Palestinians became full members.
The U.S. remains committed to the belief that the path towards statehood for the Palestinians should be pursued through direct negotiations. Concerns have been raised about granting certain benefits to entities when there are questions about whether the Palestinians meet the criteria outlined in the U.N. Charter. Despite these concerns, the Palestinian push for full U.N. membership continues, with the Palestinians currently holding the status of a non-member observer state, which was granted by the U.N. General Assembly in 2012. The Palestinian mission to the U.N. has not yet responded to requests for comments on their efforts to gain support in the General Assembly.
The push for full U.N. membership comes amid a longstanding conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants, as well as the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The U.N. has long supported a vision of two states living side by side with secure and recognized borders, with Palestinians seeking statehood in the West Bank, east Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip – territories captured by Israel in 1967. The resolution is seen as a critical step towards achieving Palestinian statehood and addressing the ongoing conflict in the region.
The vote in the General Assembly has been seen as a significant step towards global recognition of Palestinian statehood, with the U.S. and Israel expressing concerns about the potential implications of granting the Palestinians full U.N. membership. Despite these reservations, the draft resolution is expected to receive strong support from the General Assembly, reflecting the widespread international backing for the Palestinian bid. The resolution represents a crucial opportunity for the international community to affirm its commitment to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and supporting the establishment of a Palestinian state.
