Palestine's Recognition as a State on UN Agenda Amidst US-Israel Opposition

Already De Facto Recognized as a 'State' by 140 Countries; Experts Say "Palestine Meets Statehood Criteria"

To become a full UN member, unanimous approval from permanent Security Council members is required.

 Attendees at a UN meeting commemorating victims of the Gaza war [New York Reuters=Yonhap News. Republication and database prohibited]

(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Hyun Yoon-kyung = As the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip worsens due to Israel's blockade and military operations, the long-standing discussion on officially recognizing Palestine as a state has re-emerged as a prominent international agenda, drawing significant attention.

Foreign ministers from UN member states gathered at UN Headquarters in New York on the 28th (local time) to discuss the implementation of the 'two-state solution' as a peaceful resolution to the Palestinian issue.

This meeting, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, aimed to present a basic framework for a roadmap toward establishing an independent, sovereign Palestinian state while guaranteeing Israel's security.

French President Emmanuel Macron recently declared that he would officially recognize Palestine as a state during the high-level week of the UN General Assembly in September, lending momentum to these discussions and urging other nations to follow suit.

The two-state solution is an approach that advocates for Israel and Palestine to recognize each other's independent states through an agreement and coexist peacefully. It is a method that most UN member states, excluding the United States and Israel, agree with in principle.

The British newspaper The Times provided an explanation of what it means for Palestine to be officially recognized as a state by the international community, coinciding with this UN meeting.

The Times pointed out that before recognizing Palestine as a state, it is necessary to address the question of whether Palestine is truly a state. It explained that Palestine already obtained 'observer state' status at the UN in 2012, and a significant number of countries already treat Palestine virtually the same as other states.

However, the newspaper emphasized that possessing full rights and responsibilities as a state means more than simply declaring statehood or having a representative office at the UN.

According to The Times, if Palestine is recognized as a state by the UN and admitted as a full member state, it would gain the right to vote in the UN General Assembly, submit resolutions, and serve as a permanent member of the Security Council. It would also be able to join international organizations and file lawsuits in international courts.

For a resolution to grant full member status to Palestine to be put to a vote in the UN General Assembly, it must first receive no veto from any of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, China), and at least nine out of the 15 non-permanent members must vote in favor. Furthermore, over two-thirds of the member states must vote in favor in the General Assembly vote.

Currently, the United States has indicated the possibility of exercising its veto power on this matter. The U.S. and Israel boycotted the UN meeting held on this day, stating that it would be counterproductive to the ongoing efforts to end the Gaza war and secure the release of hostages.

Although the U.S. has consistently supported the two-state solution and made it a goal of its Middle East policy, it has shown a lukewarm attitude towards it since the Donald Trump administration.

The Times speculated that even if the vote for admitting Palestine as a full member state at the UN fails due to a U.S. veto, individual countries can still recognize Palestine as a sovereign state.

Approximately 140 countries, excluding some nations such as the U.S., Israel, and U.S. allies in Europe and Asia, already recognize Palestine as a state and treat it similarly to other countries.

In the case of the UK, officially recognizing Palestine as a state and establishing formal diplomatic relations would involve upgrading the Palestinian Mission in London to an embassy, expanding access for Palestinian diplomats to international organizations in London, and granting full diplomatic immunity to Palestinian diplomats.

Some voices question how Palestine can be recognized as a state when most of its territory is occupied or annexed by Israel.

In response, The Times cited scholars' views that the essential requirements for a state are a defined territory, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other states, and that Palestine possesses all of these. Yonhap News