Palestinian leaders say they will not halt their drive for full membership in the United Nations, despite facing a likely United States veto of such move.
“We know what the position of the United States of America is, they say it openly and they say it in closed meetings.” Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian Authority envoy to the world body, told a briefing today after addressing the Security Council.“The decision is to ultimately acquire membership at the United Nations. We know that it requires passing through the Security Council, and we know what the position of the United States of America is.”
The Obama administration has promised to oppose and even veto any attempt to give Palestine full membership at the UN.
“They can obstruct our effort through the Security Council now, but will that position remain the same for ever? I think that remains to be seen.”
He also raised the idea a mass movement by Palestinians in the style of the Arab Spring movements in Cairo and elsewhere might force the hand of the US.
“What would be the argument of anyone, anyone in the Security Council of stopping in the path of the Palestinian people of acquiring their legitimate right of being a full member of the UN? We are not there yet but are marching in that direction. “
Mansour said that by continuing to expand settlements and refusing to recognize pre-1967 borders as the basis for the new Palestinian state, the Israeli government was displaying an “extremely right wing and anti-peace agenda” and called on Security Council members to exert more pressure on Tel Aviv.
Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor contested these views, arguing that even the most basic conditions for Palestinian statehood did not exist.
“On behalf of whom will you present a resolution in September? Mr. Abbas? or Hamas?” Posor asked the Palestinian representative, alluding to the divide between Palestinian leadership in Gaza and the West Bank. “Will it be on behalf of both the Palestinian Authority and the Hamas terrorist organization?”
Robert Serry, Special UN coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process briefed Council Members earlier in the day about the ongoing situation in the Occupied Territories.
Serry told Council members the Palestinian Authority’s institutions in the West Bank had made unprecedented progress on issues like economic growth and security and were now sufficiently ready to assume all the responsibilities brought on by statehood.
But Serry also said tensions between Gaza and Israel have increased in the past month. Since June 23rd, armed militant groups have fired 18 rockets into Israel, while the Israeli military has carried out 3 land incursion and 16 air strikes in Gaza, killing one civilian and injuring 14 others.
The UN Coordinator for Middle East Peace Process condemned the rocket attacks as “unacceptable” and called on Palestinian militant groups in Gaza to stop indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas.
Serry also said he was alarmed over the Israeli governments “negative actions” in Gaza and the West Bank, where he says the demolition Palestinian structures, often water and sanitation services, are at their highest rate in five years.
While Gaza is experiencing a small economic recovery, unemployment remains at 31%. Serry says growth is mainly driven by donor aid and an increase in consumer good imports brought on last year after Israel revised its blockade guidelines.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza still remains bleak, with 54 % of the population being “food insecure” and over one third of the population living in poverty.