The United States on Thursday vetoed a Security Council proposal that would have granted the Palestinians full membership in the United Nations, maintaining its support for Israel amidst intensifying global concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Despite anticipation of the U.S. stance before the vote, which occurred over six months after the start of Israel’s military operations in Gaza following the deadly Hamas attack on October 7, the proposal was not passed.
The resolution, which garnered the support of twelve countries, with Britain and Switzerland abstaining, sought to upgrade Palestine from a “non-member observer state”—a status it has held since 2012—to a full member state of the UN.
Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas’s office described the U.S. veto as “a blatant aggression… which pushes the region ever further to the edge of the abyss.”
“The fact that this resolution did not pass will not break our will, and it will not defeat our determination,” declared a tearful Palestinian Ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour.
He added, “We will not stop in our effort. The state of Palestine is inevitable. It is real. Please remember that once this session adjourns, in Palestine there are innocents paying the price with their lives… for the delay in justice, freedom and peace.”
Despite the setback, Ambassador Amar Bendjama of Algeria, who presented the draft, emphasized the resolution’s “overwhelming” support and vowed that the advocates for Palestinian full membership would “return stronger and more vocal.”
The U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood reiterated America’s support for a two-state solution, stating, “This vote does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood, but instead is an acknowledgement that it will only come from direct negotiations between the parties.”
Israel’s UN Ambassador, Gilad Erdan, criticized the favorable votes for the resolution, arguing they encourage Palestinians to sidestep peace talks, thus complicating the path to peace. “Speaking to this council is like speaking to a brick wall,” he commented.
The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the Middle East situation as being “on a precipice,” highlighting a recent increase in hostilities including an Iranian attack on Israel following a strike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus, largely attributed to Israel. Guterres called the situation in Gaza, exacerbated by Israel’s military actions, a “humanitarian hellscape,” and urged more aid to be allowed into the area.
With the conflict continuing, the health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza reported that at least 33,970 people have been killed since the conflict began. The October 7 attack led to 1,170 fatalities in southern Israel, mostly civilians.
