The United States made headlines on Thursday as it thwarted a Palestinian attempt for full United Nations membership, wielding its veto power in the Security Council to block the measure.
Despite mounting global concern over the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, the move was anticipated from Israel’s staunch ally, coming amidst ongoing tensions fueled by Israel’s military campaign in the besieged Palestinian territory.
The offensive, initiated over six months ago in response to a deadly attack by Hamas on southern Israel, has exacerbated existing geopolitical tensions.
In a closely watched vote, twelve countries rallied in support of the draft resolution advocating for full Palestinian membership.
Notably, Britain and Switzerland opted to abstain, refraining from taking a definitive stance on the matter. Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas’s office swiftly denounced the US veto as “a blatant aggression” and decried it as “an encouragement to the pursuit of the genocidal war against our people.”
The veto was framed as exacerbating regional instability and pushing the region further towards the brink of chaos, according to Abbas’s office.
The draft resolution, which called for elevating Palestine’s status from its current “non-member observer state” designation to full UN membership, garnered strong backing from Palestinian representatives and their supporters.
Prior to the vote, Ziad Abu Amr, a special envoy from the Palestinian Authority, underscored the significance of rectifying historical injustices faced by successive Palestinian generations through achieving full UN membership.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Amar Bendjama of Algeria, the country that introduced the draft, emphasized the urgency of the situation, warning against the repercussions of inaction and urging the international community to address ongoing injustices and impunity.
As the Security Council session concluded with the US veto, reactions poured in from various quarters, underscoring the gravity of the decision and its implications for the region’s stability.
The stalemate in the Security Council highlighted the deep-rooted divisions and diplomatic challenges surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, raising questions about the prospects for a peaceful resolution amidst escalating tensions and mounting humanitarian concerns in Gaza and beyond.
