No consensus in the Security Council
Palestinian bid for UN membership fails
April 12, 2024, 3:38 a.m
The Palestinians have been striving for full membership in the United Nations for years. In 2011 the application failed at the Security Council. When he tries again, he will again miss the necessary majority. The USA sets the condition that peace must be concluded with Israel first.
A Palestinian application for full membership in the United Nations has failed to reach an agreement in the UN Security Council, according to Malta’s UN Ambassador Vanessa Frazier. There was “no consensus” on the motion to include the Palestinians in the committee for the admission of new members, Frazier said after a closed meeting late in the evening. Malta currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council.
Two-thirds of the members supported the motion, five had objections, Frazier said. The US and others have so far wanted the Palestinians to make peace with Israel before UN membership. Israel had therefore already spoken out vehemently against admitting Palestine.
“However, the majority was clearly in favor of advancing membership,” Frazier continued. However, the committee can only make decisions by consensus. However, the decision does not mean the end of the Palestinian bid. According to the committee’s report, each Council member state can vote on a decision on accession. Diplomatic circles said that this could happen next Thursday on Algeria’s initiative.
US veto can block further attempts
Palestinian UN envoy Rijad Mansour wrote to UN Secretary-General António Guterres last week asking that the process for full membership be resumed. The Palestinians have had observer status at the United Nations since 2012. They have been demanding full membership for years.
The United Nations Charter provides that the admission of a state is carried out by a decision of the General Assembly by a two-thirds majority, but only after a recommendation of the Security Council. The US, Israel’s closest ally, has spoken out against the initiative. Washington can block such a recommendation with a veto.
In November 2011, the application for full UN membership failed at the Security Council. A year later, the United Nations granted observer status to the Palestinians despite US opposition. Of the 193 UN member states, 139 have so far recognized Palestine as an independent state. Germany is not one of them.