• Home
• /
• World
• /
• MENA

Palestinians to renew statehood drive in Sept.

Palestinians are listed as a UN observer ‘entity’ with no voting rights. They will ask to be made a non-member observer state at the UN General Assembly on September 27, Foreign Minister Riyad Al Malki told reporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Such status, akin to the Vatican’s, would be an indirect recognition of their claims on statehood in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip. It would allow them to join a number of UN agencies, as well as the International Criminal Court.
The Palestinians say Israeli settlement-building on occupied West Bank land has stymied prospects for a bilateral statehood deal. Disagreement over the issue led to negotiations stalling in 2010.
Malki said President Mahmoud Abbas would make the status request in a speech and the Palestinians would then lobby for support among UN member states, many of which are sympathetic to the campaign and regard the West Bank settlements as illegal.
“When we are sure we have won absolute support from the largest possible number of states, we will be ready to request that the General Assembly vote on such a draft resolution,” Malki said.
A simple majority vote in the 193-member General Assembly would be enough to bestow non-member observer status, bypassing the Security Council — where the United States, Israel’s ally, has a veto.

• MENA