WASHINGTON D.C., Apr 4: The United States, Israel’s key ally, opposes Palestine’s application to be recognized as a full member state on the United Nations, phrasing that it is not the route that Palestinian should embark.
US State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller said that the US wholeheartedly supports the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, but not through the United Nations.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been actively involved in laying the groundwork for a Palestinian state by working to establish “security guarantees” for Israel.
“This is something that should be negotiate between Palestine and Israel, a path which U.S currently being pursued, rather than through the United Nations,” he stated, implying without outright stating that the United States would veto the bid if it came before the Security Council.
To become a UN member state, any request must initially undergo a vote in the Security Council, where the United States, along with four other countries, holds veto power.
Subsequently, the request must be endorsed by a two-thirds majority in the General Assembly.
However, according to long-standing US legislation, the country is obligated to terminate funding to UN agencies that grant full membership to a Palestinian state.
Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour said that he and the Palestinian delegation is pushing for a vote on April 18 at the Security Council, despite the challenges on its way.
“We are seeking admission. That is our natural and legal right, and everyone is saying ‘two-state solution,’ then what is the logic of denying us to become a member state?” he said.-TVS
