Tensions Rising in the Middle East as UN Weighs Full Membership for Palestinian Authority

On Thursday, April 18, the United Nations Security Council held a meeting to discuss the situation in the Middle East and the Palestinian Authority’s request for full member status in the UN. Currently, the PA holds observer status. The Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, began his address by warning that tensions in the region were at a critical point and urged all parties involved to exercise maximum caution.

Guterres condemned recent attacks on Israel by Iran and Israel’s response to those attacks, stressing the need for both sides to work together to break the cycle of violence. He called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and demanded that all prisoners be released from Israeli prisons. Additionally, he criticized Israel’s ongoing settlement expansion as a violation of international law and urged them to stop settler violence against Palestinians.

During the meeting, discussions focused on a draft resolution proposed by Algeria on behalf of Arab countries granting full member status to the Palestinian Authority. However, reports emerged that the US government planned to veto this resolution, emphasizing that direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine were necessary for resolving longstanding issues between them.

The decision regarding whether or not to grant full membership to the Palestinian Authority requires support from at least nine out of 15 members without any permanent member vetoes (the US, UK, France, Russia, China). The US government reiterated its stance that direct negotiations with Israel were essential for achieving Palestinian statehood.