Thwarted by US, Palestinians Look to UN

New York: Palestinians are set to gain greater participation rights at the United Nations despite failing to secure full membership, as the General Assembly prepares to consider a resolution expanding the privileges of Palestine’s observer status.

The move comes after the United States blocked a Palestinian bid for full UN membership at the Security Council in April, preventing the application from advancing to the next stage.

Palestine currently holds non-member observer state status at the UN. A renewed General Assembly initiative is now expected to receive broad support, although it would not itself make Palestine a full UN member.

The draft resolution, introduced by the United Arab Emirates, states that Palestine meets the requirements for UN membership and urges the Security Council to reconsider its application.

However, the United States is expected to maintain its opposition to Palestinian statehood being recognised through the UN rather than through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

The proposed resolution would nevertheless give Palestine several new privileges from the next General Assembly session in September.

Under the proposal, Palestinian representatives would be able to introduce proposals and amendments directly rather than having to submit them through another member state. Palestine would also be seated among UN member states in alphabetical order.

The resolution would not grant Palestine the right to vote in the General Assembly or allow it to hold a seat on the Security Council.

Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour described the additional rights as another step toward what he called Palestine’s legal and natural right to full UN membership.

The initiative has drawn strong criticism from Israel. Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan argued that the measure would effectively give the Palestinian Authority some of the rights of a state while bypassing the Security Council.

Washington has also raised concerns over the precedent the resolution could establish.

Diplomats say the vote could carry significance beyond the additional procedural rights. A strong majority in favour would demonstrate the level of international support for Palestinian statehood and potentially indicate that Palestine could secure the necessary backing in the General Assembly for full membership if the US veto were not blocking the process.

The vote is taking place as Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza continues, making the diplomatic battle over Palestinian status at the UN another focal point of the wider conflict.

The General Assembly’s previous votes on Gaza have shown substantial international support for Palestinian positions. In December, 153 of the 193 UN member states backed an immediate ceasefire, while only 10 countries, including the United States, voted against it.

For Palestinians, the latest initiative therefore represents more than a procedural change: it is an attempt to translate growing international diplomatic support into a stronger formal position within the world body.