US Opposes Palestine’s Full UN Membership, Urges Direct Negotiations for Statehood

The United States has announced its opposition to Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations, citing direct negotiations with Israel as the best way to establish a Palestinian state. According to Vedant Patel, the deputy spokesperson for the US Department of State, premature actions, even with good intentions, would not succeed in creating a state for the Palestinian people.

Patel emphasized that the quickest path to a Palestinian state is through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, supported by the US and other partners who share this goal. He mentioned that the Palestinian Authority has been asked to take necessary steps to prepare for statehood so that Gaza, currently under Hamas control, can be an integral part of the future state.

However, there is not unanimity among Admission Commission members regarding Palenstine’s proposal for full UN membership. Concerns have been raised about whether it meets the criteria to be considered a state. The resolution requires support from at least nine of the Council’s 15 members, with no permanent member voting against it.

After the Security Council vote, the resolution must undergo a second vote in the General Assembly. A two-thirds majority of member states is needed for approval. This petition for Palestine’s membership was first presented in 2011 and has been relaunched after being requested by a Palestinian representative following their non-member observer status review.