Palestine asks for UN membership — RT World News

The Palestinian Authority formally requested admission as a full member of the United Nations. The State of Palestine has had observer status in the United Nations since 2012, but full membership would amount to recognition of a Palestinian state, which Israel opposes.

“Today, the State of Palestine, based on the instructions of the Palestinian leadership, sent a letter to the Secretary-General requesting renewed consideration of [our] Membership application, The Palestinian Authority’s permanent envoy to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, wrote in a post on X on Tuesday.

In a separate letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the Arab Group, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Non-Aligned Movement supported Mansour's request.

Under the rule of the Palestinian Authority, the State of Palestine claims sovereignty over lands that were considered Palestinian before the outbreak of the Six-Day War in 1967. This includes Gaza, the entire West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected the idea of ​​a Palestinian state and pledged to impose it “Complete Israeli security control over the entire area west of Jordan” Which includes all these areas.

Parts of the West Bank are already under full Israeli military and civilian control, while Gaza is ruled by Hamas, which considers the Palestinian Authority illegitimate to recognize and negotiate with Israel.

Applications for membership in the United Nations must be approved by the Secretary-General before submitting them to the 15-member UN Security Council for a vote. The Palestinian Authority applied for membership in 2011, but the application was never presented to the Security Council. At the time, the United States – as one of the five permanent members of the council – said it would exercise veto power if the vote was successful.

The following year, the United Nations upgraded the status of the State of Palestine from “Non-member observer entity” to “Non-member observer state” This status is held only by itself and the Vatican City.

While the Palestinian Authority's renewed request would again be at risk of veto by the United States, Washington has indicated that it is prepared to abandon its usual policy of vetoing any Security Council resolution that conflicts with Israeli interests. Late last month, the United States abstained from voting and allowed the Council to adopt a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Despite the United States' continued military support for Israel, abstention was seen as a sign of rejection. Widening of the crack Between Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden.

About 140 UN member states have already recognized the State of Palestine.