UN Poised to Grant Palestinians Additional Rights Despite US Veto
Despite a recent US veto blocking the Palestinians’ bid for full UN membership, the General Assembly is set to grant them additional rights within the global body. This symbolic victory has already sparked displeasure from Israel.
In the midst of the Gaza conflict, the Palestinians renewed their 2011 request for full UN membership, which requires Security Council approval followed by a two-thirds majority vote in the General Assembly. However, the US vetoed the initiative in April.
Now, the Palestinians are turning to the General Assembly where a resolution is likely to pass supporting their full UN membership. Although the US opposes recognition of statehood outside a bilateral agreement with Israel, the draft resolution proposes granting the Palestinians certain rights and privileges starting in the next General Assembly session.
This move has been met with criticism from Israel, emphasizing the importance of symbolism in signaling global support for Palestinian statehood. While the US has expressed reservations, the new resolution clarifies the additional rights granted to Palestine as an observer state.
With the UN vote approaching, the Palestinians will gauge international support and potentially reveal the possible outcome of a full UN membership vote without a US veto.