Palestinians Push for April Vote on UN Membership Despite US Insistence on Prioritizing Peace with Israel

The Palestinians are pushing for a vote at the United Nations Security Council later this month on their renewed request for full membership, despite the United States emphasizing the need for Israel and the Palestinians to negotiate a peace agreement first.

Ambassador Riyad Mansour highlighted the historical precedent of countries eventually becoming U.N. members, even if initially blocked, citing North Korea as an example. He questioned why conditions should be imposed on Palestinian membership when other nations were admitted without such requirements.

In the past, the Palestinians’ bid for full membership at the Security Council failed due to a lack of support and the threat of a U.S. veto. However, they successfully upgraded their status to a non-member observer state at the General Assembly in 2012.

Mansour has requested the Security Council to consider their renewed membership application, backed by various international groups. He anticipates a vote on the matter at the council’s meeting on the Middle East in April.

While some Security Council members recognize Palestine as a state, the U.S. remains non-committal on whether it would veto the Palestinians’ full membership. The U.S. State Department stressed the importance of direct negotiations between the parties to establish a Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel.

Despite potential obstacles, Mansour asserts that seeking full U.N. membership is the Palestinians’ natural and legal right. The upcoming vote will be a crucial moment in their ongoing quest for international recognition.