The United Nations General Assembly may vote on Friday on a draft resolution to acknowledge Palestinians as eligible for full U.N. membership and suggest that the U.N. Security Council reconsider the matter positively. This would essentially gauge global support for the Palestinian bid, which was vetoed by the United States in the Security Council last month.The application for full U.N. membership requires approval from both the Security Council and the General Assembly.
The General Assembly, with 193 members, is expected to support the Palestinian bid, but adjustments might be made to the draft as some diplomats have raised concerns about granting additional rights and privileges, short of full membership, to the Palestinians.This could potentially set a precedent, as noted by some diplomats, citing examples like Kosovo and Taiwan.
Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan criticized the current draft, arguing that it would grant de facto state status and rights to the Palestinians, contrary to the U.N. Charter. He also mentioned potential consequences under U.S. law if the resolution is approved. The United States maintains that the path to Palestinian statehood should be through direct negotiations. The Palestinians currently hold the status of a non-member observer state, granted by the U.N. General Assembly in 2012.
