Palestinians Seek Path to New Status at UN

As questions surrounding the procedural details of Palestine’s bid for UN admission continue to go unanswered, Palestinian representatives have made one thing clear: next Friday President Mahmoud Abbas will tell the world body his country has the right to join the international community.

Recognition as a full fledged member state would require unanimous support from the UN Security Council, but the US has already indicated it would use its veto at the security body to prevent such a move. 

Palestinian leadership could also settle for an upgrade to its observer status by seeking recognition through the General Assembly, where it expects to receive the necessary 2/3 majority of votes, but some Palestinian officials view the General Assembly path as the lesser option. 

“We are considering all these options, but the final decision has not been made..If one road is blocked we will follow another one, but the objective is still the same.”  Riyad Mansour, Palestinian Authority representative at the UN told reporters outside the Security Council. 

Mansour says President Abbas continues to engage in discussions with regional organizations like the EU and Arab League but that the decision to seek Palestinian recognition at the world body had already been made. 

“The issue of the state of Palestine will be resolved. It will not be up for discussion any more, regardless of its status at the UN, whether it is a full member or observer member, we are a state and it will be legislated at the UN that we will be a state.“  

In a press conference earlier today, Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said it was up to UN member states to reach a decision on the Palestinian bid for admission.

Ban said his role as Secretary General was limited to technical oversight of issues surrounding the request. 

“I have not received any application yet. If I receive it then I will refer it to the Security Council.”

The UN chief also said he was profoundly troubled by the lack of progress in the Middle East Peace process and urged both sides to return to the negotiation table as quickly as possible.

  “I’m asking them[Israeli and Palestinians] to enter into meaningful negotiation and the international community has a duty to create some conditions favorable to this.” he told reporters. “Israel has a duty to create such conditions, issuing all these new settlements has not been helpful. At the same time Palestinians should also try to sit together with the Israeli people.” 

Palestinian leadership walked away from talks last September after the Israeli government refused to extend a freeze on settlement construction. 

The Obama administration made use of its Security Council veto for the first time earlier this year when it blocked the passage of a resolution condemning Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories. The US was the only Security Council member to vote against the resolution.

 In a New York Times Op-Ed earlier this week, Saudi Prince Turki al Faisal warned American officials a veto of the Palestinian statehood initiative could fatally undermine US credibility in the region and even strengthen Iran. 

 Former US President Jimmy Carter also came out in favor of the Palestinian bid earlier this week, saying he “reluctantly” supported the move as a legitimate alternative to the current stalemate in negotiations