Palestine’s attempt to join the UN as a full member state fails

The key points regarding the decision on Gaza and Palestine at the United Nations today are:

• The United Nations Security Council convened to deliberate on the Palestinian Authority’s bid to join the UN as a full member state with voting privileges. 1
• The United States, under the Biden administration, cast a dissenting vote, preventing the extension of full UN membership status to a Palestinian state. The final tally was 12 in favor, 1 against (the U.S.), with the UK and Switzerland abstaining. After the vote, the U.S. representative Robert Wood reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to a two-state solution, despite opposing the Palestinian bid for full UN membership. 
• The renewed Palestinian application for full UN membership comes amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which has resulted in significant civilian casualties and destruction. 
• The U.S. veto of the Palestinian membership bid reflects its position that Palestinian statehood should only be achieved through a negotiated peace agreement with Israel, rather than unilateral actions at the UN. 

In summary, the UN Security Council voted on but ultimately rejected the Palestinian Authority’s bid to be granted full UN membership status, with the U.S. casting the sole dissenting vote to block the measure. The decision highlights the continued impasse in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.