On Thursday, April 18, the UN Security Council met to discuss the situation in the Middle East and the Palestinian Authority’s request for full member status in the United Nations. Currently, the PA holds observer status.
In his opening remarks, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the Middle East was on the brink of a devastating conflict and urged all stakeholders to exercise maximum restraint. He condemned recent Iranian attacks on Israel and Israeli strikes on Iranian consulates in Damascus, emphasizing the urgent need to break the cycle of violence.
Guterres also expressed concern about the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where both Palestinian and Israeli casualties have been mounting. He called for an end to hostilities in Gaza and urged Israel to release all hostages held in the strip. Additionally, he criticized ongoing Israeli settlement expansion in violation of international law and called on Israel to end settler violence and protect the Palestinian population.
The Security Council discussed a draft resolution proposed by Algeria on behalf of the Arab group that would grant full member status to the Palestinian Authority. However, reports indicated that the United States planned to veto the resolution, emphasizing direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine as a better path towards statehood.
To achieve this goal, at least nine out of fifteen members must support it without any permanent member veto (USA, UK, France, Russia, China). The US government reiterated its stance that direct negotiations with Israel were necessary for achieving Palestinian statehood.