The United States has vetoed a resolution at the United Nations calling for the State of Palestine to be granted full membership status. The US argued that the resolution would not advance the peace process and that negotiations should be held between Israel and Palestine for a two-state solution.
The United States has once again used its veto power in the United Nations Security Council to block a resolution that would have called for the State of Palestine to be granted full UN membership status. The resolution, which was put forward by Kuwait, was supported by 14 of the 15 members of the Security Council, with only the US voting against it.
The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, defended the decision to veto the resolution, stating that the US remains committed to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and believes that granting the State of Palestine full UN membership status would not help to advance the peace process.
However, the Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, criticized the US veto, calling it a “blatant violation” of international law and accusing the US of undermining the rights of the Palestinian people. He also called on the international community to take action to hold the US accountable for its actions.
Despite the US veto, the resolution is expected to be taken up by the UN General Assembly, where it is likely to pass with overwhelming support. The General Assembly does not have the power to grant full UN membership status, but it can upgrade the status of the State of Palestine to a non-member observer state, as it did in 2012.
