The United States, on April 18, used its veto power to block a United Nations Security Council resolution on granting statehood to Palestine. In the vote 12-1, the one being the US veto and two abstentions, the UNSC did not adopt a draft resolution that would have recommended the General Assembly to hold a vote with the broader UN membership to allow Palestine to join as a full UN Member State.
For a draft resolution to pass, the UNSC must have at least nine members in favour and none of its permanent members–China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US–using their veto power. Amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, Palestine on April 2, submitted a request to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, asking that a 2011 request to become a UN Member State be reconsidered, according to the UN statement.
In a statement after the vote at the UN, US Deputy Permanent Representative to United Nations, Robert Wood, said that the vote does not demonstrate opposition to Palestinian statehood. However, US believes that statehood can only be granted through direct negotiations between the parties.
He said, “The United States continues to strongly support a two-state solution. This vote does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood, but instead is an acknowledgement that it will only come from direct negotiations between the parties.”
He said that the US believes that the most expeditious path towards statehood for the Palestinian people is through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority with the support of the United States and other partners.
Robert Wood said, “In the aftermath of October 7, conversations on potential normalisation and a political horizon for the Palestinians that would lead to statehood and membership at the UN have continued. Hamas and its Iranian backers would probably prefer this effort not succeed, but we are determined to see it through.
“It remains the US view that the most expeditious path towards statehood for the Palestinian people is through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority with the support of the United States and other partners. We believe this approach can tangibly advance Palestinian goals in a meaningful and enduring way. We also believe, in light of Iran’s unprecedented and outrageous actions over the last week, that Israel’s neighbours would stand to greatly benefit from normalisation,” he added.
Explaining the US decision to veto the resolution, he said that there was no unanimity among the committee members as to whether the applicant met the criteria for membership.
He said, “We also have long been clear that premature actions here in New York, even with the best intentions, will not achieve statehood for the Palestinian people. As members of the Security Council, we have a special responsibility to ensure that our actions further the cause of international peace and security and are consistent with the requirements of the UN Charter.
“As reflected in the report of the Admission Committee, there was not unanimity among Committee Members as to whether the applicant met the criteria for membership as set forth in Article 4 of the UN Charter. For example, there are unresolved questions as to whether the applicant meets the criteria to be considered a State,” he added.
He stated that the US has long called on the Palestinian Authority to undertake necessary reforms to help establish the attributes of readiness for statehood. He noted that “Hamas, a terrorist organisation, is currently exerting power and influence in Gaza, an integral part of the state envisioned in this resolution.”
He said that US President Joe Biden, since the attacks of October 7, “has been clear that sustainable peace in the region can only be achieved through a two-state solution, with Israel’s security guaranteed. There is no other path that guarantees Israel’s security and future as a democratic Jewish state.”
“There is no other path that guarantees Palestinians can live in peace and dignity in a state of their own. And there is no other path that leads to regional integration between Israel and all its Arab neighbours, including Saudi Arabia,” he added.
Notably, Israel launched a counter-offensive in Gaza after Hamas’ launched its attack on Tel Aviv on October 7. Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas over its attack on Tel Aviv.
(with inputs from ANI)
