On Friday, the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to grant the Palestinians enhanced status at the UN, declaring them eligible for many of the privileges afforded to full member states. This symbolic move signals increasing global support for the Palestinian cause and represents a setback for Israel and the United States, who opposed the Palestinian bid.
On November 29th, 2022, the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to adopt Resolution A/ES-11/L.24, declaring the State of Palestine to be qualified for full membership at the U.N. The final vote was 143 in favor, 9 against, and 25 abstentions. While the resolution itself does not grant Palestine full U.N. membership, it represents a strong show of international support for Palestinian statehood and puts significant diplomatic pressure on Israel. So what does this bold move by the General Assembly mean for prospects of peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and stability in the wider Middle East?
Background of the Resolution
The Palestinian Authority has long sought full U.N. membership and official international recognition of statehood. In 2011, they applied for full membership but the effort stalled due to opposition from Israel’s key ally, the United States. The U.S. threatened to use its veto power on the Security Council to block the bid.
In 2012, the U.N. General Assembly voted to grant Palestine “non-member observer state” status, falling short of full membership but allowing them to join U.N. agencies and sign treaties. The latest successful resolution goes a step beyond that to clearly state that Palestine meets the criteria for U.N. membership laid out in Chapter 2 of the U.N. Charter.
The resolution text stresses the need to resolve the conflict through peaceful negotiations aimed at implementing the two-state solution based on 1967 borders. It then requests that the Security Council “favorably consider the application submitted on 23 September 2011 by the State of Palestine for admission to full membership in the United Nations.”
International Support for Palestinian Statehood
The strong vote in favor of the resolution highlights the high level of international support for Palestinian statehood and frustration with the lack of progress in resolving the conflict after decades of failed negotiations.
143 countries voting yes shows broad global consensus that Palestinians have a legitimate claim to statehood and self-determination. This amounts to over 75% of the total U.N. membership.
The countries voting against the resolution – Israel, the U.S., Hungary, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Marshall Islands, Nauru, and Micronesia – find themselves in a shrinking minority against the tide of world opinion. The U.S. and Israeli lobbying efforts failed to prevent an embarrassing defeat.
The abstaining countries include some U.S. allies who were unwilling to defy Washington openly but also did not want to isolate themselves by siding against the Palestinians. This group includes Germany, the U.K., Holland, Romania, Cameroon, South Sudan, Guatemala, Honduras, and Papua New Guinea.
What the Resolution Accomplishes
While symbolic, the successful U.N. vote provides tangible benefits to the Palestinian national cause. It represents the strongest show of international support for Palestinian statehood in recent memory. This adds to the mounting diplomatic pressure on Israel to halt illegal settlement expansion and return to negotiations aimed at allowing emergence of a viable Palestinian state to live side-by-side Israel in peace.
In addition, the upgraded U.N. status allows Palestine to join many more U.N. agencies, sign international treaties, and wield greater influence in international forums. This helps counterbalance Israeli and U.S. dominance of Middle East diplomacy.
Specifically, Palestinians gained the right to sit alphabetically among member states at U.N. meetings. Palestine can now directly submit proposals and amendments in U.N. bodies and speak up on any issue, not just those directly concerning Palestine. The resolution also grants Palestinians expanded rights to participate in General Assembly debates and conferences.
This opens the door for the State of Palestine to join influential organizations like the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ). Joining the ICC would allow Palestine to pursue war crimes charges against Israel over things like settlement building and military actions in Gaza.
Does This Bring Palestinian Statehood Any Closer?
Despite the excitement over the vote, the U.N. General Assembly itself does not have the authority to confer full U.N. membership on Palestine. That would require approval by the Security Council where the U.S. could still veto.
The resolution requests the Security Council “favorably consider” Palestinian membership, but Washington has shown little appetite to reverse its longstanding opposition. Israeli leaders, meanwhile, insist they will not negotiate statehood under threat.
As such, the General Assembly vote is unlikely to immediately change facts on the ground or lead to progress in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations which have been stalled since 2014. However, it does highlight that the U.S. and Israeli position finds little support internationally, encouraging other countries to exert more pressure.
The resolution may impact internal Palestinian politics by bolstering the credibility of President Mahmoud Abbas in the eyes of his people. Rival Hamas, which governs Gaza, has long criticized Abbas’s diplomatic strategy at the U.N. as ineffective. This concrete show of widespread international support grants Abbas a measure of vindication.
The Way Forward for Israel-Palestine Relations
So while the U.N. vote itself will not instantly create change, it has shifted the landscape to Palestine’s advantage. This latest show of support from the international community strengthens the Palestinian argument that statehood and sovereignty are inevitable and cannot be held back indefinitely by American and Israeli obstructionism.
Looking ahead, the vote may encourage European countries and other international stakeholders to take a more assertive role in mediating talks and insisting both sides come to the table ready to make difficult compromises. They can point to overwhelming global consensus around core Palestinian demands – statehood based on 1967 lines, East Jerusalem as the capital, no illegal settlements, and right of return for refugees.
However, the U.S., Israel and Palestine ultimately need the political will to move forward themselves. A sustainable peace can only come through direct negotiations between the parties. But the General Assembly vote has made the basic ingredients of that peace clearer than ever by isolating those still unwilling to accept what the world long ago recognized must form the foundation. All sides should take note and recognize that the time for progress is now.
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