Explainer-Could the Palestinians become a full member of the United Nations?
FILE PHOTO: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas gestures speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin (not pictured) as they meet at the Kremlin, in this file photo, in Moscow, Russia, 10 May 2025. Yuri Kochetkov/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
UNITED NATIONS - Momentum seems to be building for more countries to recognize a Palestinian state in Israeli-occupied territory after France said last week it would do so in September. Britain said Tuesday it would follow suit at the U.N. General Assembly unless Israel had taken steps to ease the Gaza crisis and bring about peace.
The Palestinian Authority, which represents the Palestinian people at the United Nations, where the delegation is officially known as the State of Palestine, is not a full member and has no vote in the 193-member General Assembly.
Here are some details about the status of the Palestinians at the United Nations:
WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE PALESTINIANS AT THE U.N.?
The Palestinians are a non-member, observer state at the United Nations - the same status as the Holy See (Vatican).
The General Assembly approved the de facto recognition of the sovereign state of Palestine in November 2012 by upgrading its observer status at the world body to "non-member state" from "entity." There were 138 votes in favor, nine against and 41 abstentions.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR?
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In May 2024, the U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly backed a Palestinian bid to become a full member by recognizing it as qualified to join and recommending the U.N. Security Council "reconsider the matter favorably."
That resolution also granted the Palestinians some additional rights and privileges from September 2024 - like a seat among the U.N. members in the assembly hall.
The May vote by the General Assembly amounted to a global survey of support for the Palestinian cause to become a full member - a move that would effectively recognize a Palestinian state - after the United States vetoed the step in the Security Council in April 2024.
The Palestinians remain a non-member observer state as the 15-member Security Council has not acted on the General Assembly recommendation.
HOW DOES THE UNITED NATIONS ADMIT NEW MEMBER STATES?
Countries seeking to join the United Nations usually present an application to the U.N. secretary-general, who sends it to the Security Council for an assessment and vote.
A council committee of the 15 members first assesses an application to see if it satisfies the requirements for U.N. membership. The application can then either be shelved or put forward for a formal vote in the Security Council. Approval requires at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the U.S., Russia, France, China or Britain.
If the council approves the membership request, it then moves to the General Assembly for approval. A membership request needs a two-thirds majority to be cleared by the assembly. A country cannot join the United Nations unless both the Security Council and General Assembly approve.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PALESTINIAN APPLICATION IN 2011?
A U.N. Security Council committee assessed the Palestinian application for several weeks to see if it satisfied requirements for U.N. membership. But the committee was unable to reach a unanimous position and the Security Council never formally voted on a resolution on Palestinian membership.
Diplomats said the Palestinians lacked the minimum nine votes needed to adopt a resolution. Even if they had won enough support, the United States had said it would veto the move.
WHAT IS THE U.S. POSITION?
The United States, Israel's most powerful and influential ally, has said a Palestinian state can only be established through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
The latest round of those negotiations broke down in 2014 and the process remains frozen, with prospects for revival dimmed further by the ongoing, devastating war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza.
Under U.S. law, Washington cannot fund any U.N. organization that grants full membership to any group that does not have the "internationally recognized attributes" of statehood. The United States cut funding in 2011 for the Paris-based U.N. cultural agency, UNESCO, after the Palestinians joined as a full member. REUTERS
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