The United States has expressed its opposition to Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations, stating that direct negotiations with Israel are the best way to establish a Palestinian state. According to Vedant Patel, the deputy spokesperson for the US Department of State, premature actions, even with good intentions, would not succeed in creating a state for the Palestinian people.

Patel emphasized that the quickest path to a Palestinian state is through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, supported by the US and other partners who share this goal. He mentioned that the Palestinian Authority has been asked to take necessary steps to prepare for statehood so that Gaza, currently under Hamas control, can be an integral part of the future state.

However, there has been unanimity among the Admission Commission members regarding the proposal to submit it to the Security Council, according to Patel. There are concerns about whether the proposal meets the criteria to be considered a state. The resolution requires support from at least nine of the Council’s 15 members, with no permanent member voting against it.

After the Security Council vote, which is scheduled for later this month, if it is approved by nine votes or more from UNSC members without any vetoes from permanent members like Russia or China then it will go for a second vote in General Assembly where two-thirds majority is needed for approval. The petition for Palestinian membership was first presented in 2011 and relaunched after Palestinian representative requested review of non-member observer status last year.