In the UN Security Council vote on Palestine's full membership, the United States once again showed its insincerity towards the 'two-state solution' by using its veto power. While 12 out of 15 Security Council members approved Palestine's full membership application, the UK and Switzerland abstained. Nine approvals from the Security Council are enough for UN full membership, but none of the five permanent members with veto power should use their veto. At least two-thirds of the 193 UN members must vote 'yes' for full membership, and 139 UN members already recognize Palestine as a state. Many European countries were also gearing up to recognize Palestine. The United States' veto was the only obstacle to Palestine's full membership, as expected.
The United States actually wanted fewer than 9 'yes' votes from the UN Security Council to avoid having to veto. Hence, it engaged in secret diplomacy among UN Security Council members. The Intercept, a New York-based news outlet, published documents revealing the US Department of State's lobbying efforts. These documents indicated that the United States asked Ecuador, a UN Security Council member, to lobby other members not to approve Palestine's full membership.
Behind the United States' choice of Ecuador for lobbying was a diplomatic dispute between Ecuador and Mexico. Former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas, on trial for bribery, sought asylum at the Mexican Embassy in December 2022. On April 5, 2024, the Ecuadorian police raided the Mexican Embassy and arrested Glas. Mexico lodged a complaint with the International Court of Justice against Ecuador, demanding the suspension of its UN membership until Ecuador publicly apologized to Mexico.
The United States sought to capitalize on Ecuador's situation to prevent Palestine's full membership. However, Ecuador, in coordination with the 11 members of the UN Security Council supporting Palestine, chose not to comply with the United States' demands.
In addition to lobbying UN Security Council members against supporting Palestine's full membership, the United States also urged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to suspend the membership application. According to reports in the American media, the United States' pressure attempt failed because it did not offer a satisfactory option for full membership to the Palestinian Authority.
Palestine had applied for UN membership in 2011. The United States pressured Palestine to accept 'Observer Member' status, promising full membership soon afterward. However, the United States did not fulfill this promise.
Biden Administration argues that Palestine's full membership in the UN is not unilateral but depends on direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. However, the UN facilitated the unilateral establishment of the State of Israel in 1947. At that time, the US administration did not require direct negotiations between the parties for Israel's full UN membership.
While claiming to support the 'two-state solution', the Biden Administration's actions contradict this stance. By sending weapons to aid Netanyahu's genocide in Gaza and using its veto power to block Palestine's full UN membership, the Biden Administration is not deterring Israel from sitting down with the Palestinians.
Can the Biden Administration bring Netanyahu or another Israeli government to the table for a 'two-state solution'? Can the United States ensure the withdrawal of the approximately 700,000 Zionist settlers from the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem since 1967? As long as the United States continues its unconditional support, how capable is Biden of bringing Israel to the table? Or will the United States again delay and evade the issue? Given the actions of the United States so far, finding positive answers to these questions is very difficult.
