The vote on April 18 for granting the Palestine state full membership at the United Nations Security Council underlines the quest of the Palestinian people for independ-ence and statehood. However, by vetoing the application from 13.5 million Palestinians, despite 12 “yes” votes and two abstentions, the US has once again positioned itself against an over-whelming majority of the global community in matters of conscience.
This action has not only thwarted the aspirations of the Palestinian people but also prompted scrutiny over the fairness and immediacy in addressing their rights. Doubts cast on Palestine’s ability to govern and its peace commitments are only a means to divert attention from what are their fundamental rights.
The insistence on direct nego-tiations overlooks the shifting dynamics in the region, including the decreasing sup-port from Israel for a two-state solution. It’s Israeli settlement expansion on the western bank of the Jordan River that has re-stricted the space for a Palestine state since the time it applied for UN membership in 2011. It’s the superpower’s unwarranted support of Israel that eroded the basis of a two-state solution, which is the only path toward lasting peace.
At a time when Israeli forces are still in Gaza and an attack on Rafah is still possible, it’s more urgent now than at any time in history to accept the Palestine state as a full UN member. It’s also time for the US to realign with the course of history that favors justice and peace.
