UNSC to debate unilateral Palestinian statehood today
It has been considered a de-facto form of statehood recognition, which allows the PA to participate in many UN forums and ratify treaties and statutes.
By TOVAH LAZAROFF THE UNITED NATIONS Security Council holds a regular meeting on the situation in the Middle East, focusing on Israel in relation to the Palestinians. (photo credit: BRENDAN MCDERMID/REUTERS)
The Palestinian Authority’s request to be accepted as a full member state of the United Nations is set to come before the Security Council for an initial debate on Monday.A UNSC vote is a necessary step for membership. The US, which is one of five permanent Security Council members with veto power, has thwarted such initiatives in the past, even though the matter never came to a formal vote.The PA renewed its standing request, first submitted in 2011, as it hopes to capitalize on the growth of pro-Palestinian sentiments as a result of the Gaza war.
There are already 139 nations out of the UN’s 193 member nations that recognize Palestine as a state.
Most Western countries have refrained from recognizing a Palestinian state
Most Western countries have refrained from granting such recognition, believing that such a statement should be achieved as the final step of a final-status agreement for two states.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas gestures during a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (not pictured), in the West Bank city of Ramallah, May 25, 2021. (credit: ALEX BRANDON/POOL VIA REUTERS)The 10-year frozen peace process, along with the Gaza war, has caused some European nations to reconsider that position.Spain, Ireland, Malta, and Slovenia announced last month that they would work toward the recognition of a Palestinian state. Israel told the four countries this would represent a “prize for terrorism” that would reduce the chances of a negotiated resolution to the conflict.In 2012, the PA turned to the UN General Assembly after it failed to find support at the Security Council. At the time, the UNGA upgraded its status to that of a non-member observer state, akin to the status granted to the Holy See.It has been considered a de-facto form of statehood recognition, which allows the PA to participate in many UN forums and ratify treaties and statutes, including the Rome Statute, which established the International Criminal Court.Reuters contributed to this report.
