UN to Vote on Resolution Granting Palestine New Rights and Reviving Membership Bid

The UN General Assembly is poised to vote on Friday, May 10, 2024, on a resolution that seeks to grant Palestine new "rights and privileges" and urges the Security Council to favorably reconsider Palestine's application for full UN membership as the 194th member state.

Despite strong international support for the resolution, the United States vetoed a similar measure in the Security Council on April 18. The vetoed resolution would have facilitated Palestine’s membership, a longstanding goal of the Palestinians and something Israel has consistently opposed. U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood reiterated on Thursday that the Biden administration opposes the General Assembly resolution.

Under the UN Charter, new member states must be "peace-loving," and their admission requires a recommendation from the Security Council before the General Assembly can give final approval. Palestine has held non-member observer state status since 2012.

Wood emphasized that the United States believes the best path to Palestinian UN membership is through negotiations with Israel, a position they maintain despite the efforts of some Arab nations and Palestine itself to bypass this process.

The General Assembly, however, does not operate with veto powers like the Security Council, and the resolution is expected to pass with broad support. According to diplomats familiar with the negotiations, the draft resolution affirms that Palestine is qualified for UN membership and recommends that the Security Council reconsider its application "favorably."

This renewed push for Palestinian membership comes against the backdrop of the Gaza conflict, which has reignited global attention on the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the deaths of over 34,000 people, according to Gaza health officials, have prompted widespread condemnation at recent UN meetings.

To address concerns from the U.S., Russia, and China, the resolution has undergone significant changes. The initial draft aimed to grant Palestine "rights and privileges necessary to ensure its full and effective participation" in the General Assembly and UN conferences "on equal footing with member states." However, the final draft removes the language placing Palestine "on equal footing with member states" and instead specifies that the rights and privileges are granted "on an exceptional basis and without setting a precedent."

Russia and China had concerns that granting these rights could create a precedent for other aspiring UN members, particularly Kosovo and Taiwan.

Under longstanding U.S. legislation, American funding to UN agencies that grant full membership to Palestine would be cut off, potentially impacting the UN’s largest contributor.

The final version clarifies that Palestine, as an observer state, cannot vote in the General Assembly or seek candidacy in UN organs. The annex grants Palestine the right to speak on all matters, propose agenda items, reply in debates, and be elected as officers in the assembly's committees. However, it excludes the "right to vote" that was originally included.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas first submitted Palestine's membership application to the UN in 2011, but it failed due to insufficient support in the Security Council. The Palestinians later successfully obtained non-member observer state status through a General Assembly vote, enabling them to join UN organizations and the International Criminal Court.

In the Security Council's April 18 vote, Palestine received more backing for full membership with 12 members in favor, the UK and Switzerland abstaining, and the U.S. vetoing.

Despite U.S. opposition, the General Assembly is expected to approve the resolution, potentially paving the way for a renewed push for Palestinian membership in the UN.pite U.S. opposition, the General Assembly is expected to approve the resolution, potentially paving the way for a renewed push for Palestinian membership in the UN.