A resolution for full membership of a Palestinian state in the United Nations failed in the UN Security Council due to a US veto. Twelve member states voted in favor of the resolution in New York on Thursday, while Great Britain and Switzerland abstained.
A few weeks ago, Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour asked UN chief António Guterres in a letter to resubmit the request, which had already been submitted in 2011, to the Security Council. A responsible body of the Security Council examined the request but could not agree on a unified response. Algeria subsequently put the resolution to the vote.
“Aggression against international law”
The Palestinian Authority condemned the US action. “This aggressive US policy toward Palestine, its people and their legitimate rights constitutes a blatant aggression against international law,” the office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said. It is “an encouragement to continue the genocidal war against our people.”
The rejection “will not break our will or stop our resolve,” Mansour said. “We will not stop our efforts. The state of Palestine is inevitable, it is real.”
For it to be successful, at least nine of the fifteen members of the UN’s most powerful body would have had to vote for it, and there should have been no veto from the five permanent council members – China, France, Russia, Britain. and the US. If the proposal had been successful, the motion would have had to be referred to the UN General Assembly for a vote, where a two-thirds majority would have been required.
The US continues to support the two-state solution
“The United States continues to strongly support the two-state solution,” US Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood said after the vote. Palestinian statehood can only be achieved through direct negotiations between the parties. The two-state solution provides for an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Israel had repeatedly criticized the Security Council for even discussing this proposal, calling it “immoral.” “Speaking to this council is like talking to a wall,” said Israeli UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan. The supporting voices would encourage the Palestinians not to return to the negotiating table and “make peace almost impossible.”
China: “Sad day”
The Chinese ambassador spoke of a “sad day” and expressed his “disappointment” with the American veto. The dream of the Palestinian people has been destroyed.
Immediately after the vote, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz praised the US veto. Recognition of a Palestinian state six months after the October 7 massacre would be a reward for Hamas’ terrorism, he wrote on Platform X (see post above).
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
