Palestine 194
Encyclopedia
Palestine 194 is the name given to a diplomatic campaign by the Palestinian National Authority
to gain membership for the State of Palestine
in the United Nations at its 66th Session
in September 2011. It seeks to effectively gain collective recognition
for a Palestinian state based on the borders prior to the Six Day War, with East Jerusalem
as its capital. The initiative developed during a two-year impasse in negotiations with Israel that followed the latter's refusal to freeze its settlement activities
in the West Bank. The campaign was reported in the media as early as late 2009, and gained prominence during the leadup to the General Assembly debate in September 2011. President Mahmoud Abbas
submitted the application to the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
on 23 September; the Security Council
has yet to vote on it.
The endeavour was formally backed by the Arab League
in May, and was officially confirmed by the Palestine Liberation Organization on 26 June. The decision has been labelled by the Israeli government as a unilateral step, while the Palestinian government believes it is essential in order to mitigate the current impasse. Several other countries, such as Germany and Canada, have also denounced the decision and called for a prompt return to negotiations. Others, however, such as Norway and Russia, have endorsed the plan, as has the Secretary-General, who stated, "UN members are entitled whether to vote for or against the Palestinian statehood recognition at the UN."
signed between Israel and its neighbours in 1949 officially ended hostilities until Israel's invasion and subsequent occupation of the remainder of Palestinian territory in the Six-Day War
of June 1967.
The Palestine Liberation Organization
(PLO) was accorded observer status within the United Nations on 22 November 1974, having been recognised as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. The State of Palestine
was proclaimed
on 15 November 1988 in Algiers
at an extraordinary session in exile of the Palestine National Council, citing the partition plan of 1947 as legal justification. In acknowledgement of the declaration, the United Nations upgraded the observer seat of the PLO and accorded it the designation "Palestine", without explicitly referring to it as a state.
At the Security Council in 1989, the PLO representative acknowledged that 94 member states—at that time a majority—had recognised the new Palestinian state. It subsequently attempted to gain membership as a state in several agencies connected to the United Nations, but its efforts were thwarted by threats from the United States to withhold funding from any organisation that admitted Palestine. Consequently, applications and letters of accession to various treaties were either withdrawn or deferred indefinitely. As a consequence, in November 1989, the Arab League proposed a General Assembly resolution to formally recognise the PLO as the government of an independent Palestinian state. The draft, however, was abandoned when the U.S. again threatened to cut off its financing for the United Nations should the vote go ahead. The Arab states agreed not to press the resolution, but demanded that the U.S. promise not to threaten the United Nations with financial sanctions again.
Despite this, in February 1990, the U.S. passed a law prohibiting the appropriation of funds for the United Nations or any of its specialised agencies which accord the PLO the same standing as member states.
The PLO subsequently committed itself to peace negotiations with Israel brokered by the international community. These began with the Madrid Conference
in 1991, and resulted in the signing of the Oslo Accords
in 1993, leading to the creation of the Palestinian National Authority. In 2002, a Quartet
of third-party brokers developed a road map for peace
aimed at achieving a viable solution to the conflict including the establishment of a Palestinian state. The current outline for a solution was determined and agreed to by both parties during the Annapolis Conference
of 2007.
Israel was admitted
as a member of the United Nations on May 1949, on its third application. The final resolution approved its admission on the conditions that it implement the 1947 partition plan and Resolution 194 of December 1948, which called for the return of refugees
.
in the West Bank
. In 2008, The New York Times reported that, "Even among the most moderate Palestinians, the credo of a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict is beginning to erode". Jewish scholar Abdallah Schleifer
described "a sense among Palestinians of almost desperation, that they are being left behind, that the focus for the achievement of a Palestinian two-state solution, a Palestinian state living alongside an Israeli state based on negotiations, has collapsed." In August 2008, the Palestine Strategy Group, composed of government officials, researchers and advisers, published a new strategic position recommending that the leadership transfer the conflict to the United Nations. It stressed that, given the Israeli government's intransigence, the option of settling the conflict through bilateral negotiations was no longer available.
One of the common misgivings amongst Palestinians about the negotiation process is the inability of the PLO to negotiate with Israel as an equal. The PLO has therefore said that global recognition of the Palestinian state is an opportunity to formally level the playing field and create a situation in which two state partners can negotiate as equals.
In 2009, the government of Prime Minister Salam Fayyad
developed a state
-building programme aimed at establishing viable institutions capable of providing effective governance despite the occupation. The agenda was published in August and gave a deadline of two years for the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state. The plan was backed by the European Union, which provided financial and practical assistance to its development. Also in 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama
delivered a speech
in which he became the first U.S. president to endorse the 1967 borders as the basis for a Palestinian state. He brokered direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine the following year, and at the General Assembly session in September 2010, he set a one-year deadline for these negotiations to produce an independent, sovereign state of Palestine admitted as a member. Negotiatons broke down the following month, however, when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
refused to extend his government's moratorium on settlement construction in the West Bank, prompting the Palestinians to disengage. President Mahmoud Abbas
labelled these settlements as unilateral actions aimed at imposing "facts on the ground" and as "the primary obstacle to any peace process".
Towards the end of 2010, the World Bank
released a report that found the PNA "well-positioned to establish a state" at any point in the near future. The report highlighted, however, that unless private-sector growth
in the economy was stimulated, a Palestinian state would remain donor dependent
. In December, the EU acknowledged the progress made in the state-building programme, and several member states agreed to grant diplomatic status to the Palestinian representations in their capitals. In April 2011, the UN's co-ordinator for the Middle East peace process issued a report on the progress made in this area, describing "aspects of its administration as sufficient for an independent state". It echoed a similar assessment published the week prior by the International Monetary Fund
.
In July 2011, the PLO published a paper stating that its quest for international recognition of the State of Palestine is aimed at protecting the viability of the two-state solution, and that it is not intended as a substitute for negotiations. It claimed that recognition "strengthens the possibility of reaching a just and lasting peace based on the terms of reference accepted by the international community as the basis for resolving the conflict." Furthermore, it stated:
Another factor that has led to the movement is the Arab Spring
. Schleifer said of President Abbas, "He's very self-conscious I think of the overall atmosphere of change in the Arab world, which dramatises the lack of accomplishment in terms of achieving a Palestinian state through negotiations".
, Saeb Erekat
, Nabil Shaath
and Riyad Mansour
paid visits to many states. Palestinian ambassadors, assisted by those of other Arab states, were charged with enlisting the support of the governments to which they were accredited. During the lead-up to the vote, Russia, Spain and the People's Republic of China have publicly pledged support for the Palestinian bid, as have inter-governmental organisations such as the African Union
, and the Non-Aligned Movement
.
administration has stated that it does not expect to prevent a resolution from passing should it go ahead. In August, Haaretz quoted the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Ron Prosor
, as stating that Israel stood no chance of altering the outcome of a resolution at the General Assembly by September. "The maximum that we can hope to gain is for a group of states who will abstain or be absent during the vote," wrote Prosor. "Only a few countries will vote against the Palestinian initiative."
Instead, the Israeli government has focused on obtaining a "moral majority" of major democratic powers, in an attempt to diminish the weight of the vote. Considerable weight has been placed on the position of the European Union
, which has not yet been announced. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has stated that it is likely to depend on the wording of the resolution. At the end of August, Israel's defence minister Ehud Barak
told Ashton that Israel was seeking to influence the wording: "It is very important that all the players come up with a text that will emphasise the quick return to negotiations, without an effort to impose pre-conditions on the sides."
Efforts from both Israel and the U.S. have also focused on pressuring the Palestinian leadership to abandon its plans and return to negotiations. In the U.S., Congress
passed a bill denouncing the initiative and calling on the Obama administration to veto any resolution that would recognise a Palestinian state declared outside of an agreement negotiated by the two parties. A similar bill was passed in the Senate
, which also threatened a withdrawal of aid to the West Bank. In late August, another congressional bill was introduced which proposes to block U.S. government funding for any United Nations entity that supports giving Palestine an elevated status. Several top U.S. officials, including ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice and consul-general in Jerusalem Daniel Rubinstein, made similar threats. In the same month, it was reported that the Israeli Ministry of Finance was withholding its monthly payments to the PNA. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman warned that if the Palestinians made a unilateral approach to the United Nations, they would be in violation of the Oslo Accords, and Israel would no longer consider itself bound by them. He also recommended cutting all ties with the PNA.
on 23 September, immediately prior to delivering his address to the General Assembly. The territorial basis referred to were the 4 June 1967 borders
, with al-Quds al-Sharif
as its capital. The application stated that it was being submitted in line with "the Palestinian people's natural, legal and historic rights", citing the 1947 partition plan as well as the 1988 declaration of independence and its subsequent acknowledgement by General Assembly Resolution 43/177 of 15 December 1988. It also reaffirmed the state's commitment to the achievement of a "just, lasting and comprehensive resolution" to the conflict "based on the vision of two states living side by side in peace and security". The application was referred to the Security Council's committee on membership on 28 September. A vote on whether to approve it is scheduled for 11 November.
In order for a state to gain membership in the General Assembly, its application must have the support of two-thirds of member states with a prior recommendation for admission from the Security Council
. This requires, in particular, at least 9 in favour and the absence of a veto
from any of the council's five permanent members. At the prospect of a veto from the United States, Palestinian leaders signalled they might opt instead for a more limited upgrade to "non-member state" status, which requires a simple majority
in the General Assembly. In contrast to full membership, this requires only a simple majority
in the General Assembly. This was pushed as a compromise option by several European members. Another potential course of action that al-Malki announced was in consideration was to overrule the veto through the Uniting for Peace emergency procedure, with requires two-thirds of the General Assembly.
in 1974. In 1989, an application for the admission of the State of Palestine as a member state was submitted by a group of seven states during the 131st session of UNESCO's Executive Board. The board postponed a decision until the next session, and the item was included on each session's agenda thereafter, being repeatedly deferred. During the board's 187th session in September 2011, a draft resolution was presented by 24 states requesting that the application be considered and the State of Palestine be granted membership in the organisation. Following consultations between the representatives of the 58-member board, the draft resolution was put for voting on 5 October. The board voted in favour of recommending the application, winning the approval of 40 states. The resolution to admit Palestine as the agency's 195th member state
was adopted at the 36th General Conference on 31 October. Of the 185 dues-paying members eligible for voting, 107 were in favour, 14 were against, 52 abstained and 12 were absent. The resolution was submitted by a total of 43 states. Palestine became a member of UNESCO on November 23. Palestine's admission to UNESCO will make it the third member state that is not a member state of the United Nations.
As a result of the vote, Israel released a statement rejecting the decision of the general conference and warning that it would be reconsidering its future co-operation with the agency, calling the vote a "tragedy". The Israeli government accelerated the building of settlements within the West Bank and East Jerusalem while withholding payments of US$100 million per month to the PNA. Israeli foreign minister Yigal Palmor stated these measures were an attempt to increase pressure on Palestinians, while Abbas noted it would further disrupt the peace process. Netanyahu said that the settlement construction was not punishment, but a "basic right of [the Israeli] people". This Israeli move was criticised by the UN, the USA, the EU, and the EU three
.
The USA announced it was cutting off funding for UNESCO, citing the 1990 congressional law as justification. A spokeswoman for the government said it would withhold a US$60 million payment it was scheduled to make in November. Canada has also withheld funding. The resolution also highlighted the divergence in foreign policies within the European Union.
. However, following protests by the UN Secretary-General, al-Malki announced on 3 November that at this point the PLO would not seek membership in other UN agencies until the issue of membership has been resolved at the Security Council.
were commissioned to craft an olive-wood blue chair symbolising the campaign and take it on an international tour of the Middle East and Europe en route to the United Nations headquarters in New York. The chair was embroidered with the UN logo and the words "Palestine's Right: A full membership in the United Nations". Online amnesty group Avaaz
launched an e-petition on its website urging all United Nations members to endorse the bid to admit Palestine; it reportedly attained 500,000 signatures in its first four days. OneVoice Palestine
launched a domestic campaign in partnership with local news agencies, with the aim of getting the involvement and support of Palestinian citizens. Overseas, campaigns were launched in several nations, calling on their governments to vote "yes" in the resolution.
On 7 September, a group of activists under the banner "Palestine: State No. 194" staged a demonstration outside the United Nations' office in Ramallah
. During this they submitted to the office a letter addressed to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
, urging him to "exert all possible efforts toward the achievement of the Palestinian people's just demands". The following day, Ban told reporters: "I support ... the statehood of Palestinians; an independent, sovereign state of Palestine. It has been long overdue," but that "recognition of a state is something to be determined by the member states."
In the West Bank
, support groups called on Palestinians to actively campaign for the bid, and planned a series of co-ordinated demonstrations to take place in cities between 19–23 September. Massive demonstrations were staged in several cities in the West Bank in support of the bid, including Ramallah
and Hebron
. A women's rally was also staged by Palestinians and Israelis at the Qalandia
checkpoint between Ramallah and Jerusalem. On 23 September, thousands turned out in central squares of Ramallah to watch the president's address to the General Assembly. Columns of children marched into the square from side streets holding portraits of Abu Mazen, and candles were lit as he gave the address. One attendant observed, "Large numbers of people have come out like this before, but they always had anger on their faces." The organisers emphasised their intention to keep the rallies strictly peaceful, and reports indicated that this was mostly the case. However, several violent clashes occurred between demonstrators and the Israeli army at Qalandia, in which one Palestinian man was killed. In addition, violence between Israeli settlers and local Palestinians escalated to a peak.
In Gaza
, all demonstrations in support or condemnation of the application were banned in an attempt to avoid any action with the potential to deepen the divisions between Palestinian factions. A survey by a Palestinian research center found that 86 percent of Gaza residents favour the push for membership, more than in the West Bank.
Overseas, rallies in support of the bid were staged in Berlin, Buenos Aires, Bucharest, Caracas, Copenhagen, London, Prague, Sacramento
, Sofia and Stockholm. Demonstrators in Amman expressed opposition to the proposal, calling instead for a state on the entirety of the historical Palestinian land. Rallies were staged in New York on the days leading up to the summit, and continued outside the United Nations headquarters building throughout the duration of the session.
(PFLP) backed the bid in early September. A spokesman for the organisation said, "We support the Palestinian leadership's plan to go to the UN because that is a natural right of the Palestinians and part of the political battle against Israeli occupation." The chairman of the Palestinian National Initiative
(PNI), Mustafa Barghouti
, endorsed the plan as "the last option for two states". He argued, "The time has come for an alternative. There is no space or place for talks," adding that the campaign was "an outcry toward the international community for a two-state solution." The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
(DFLP) backed the plan as early as July, organising a supportive rally at the UN headquarters in Gaza. A spokesman encouraged the public to support the campaign, and said that it would put pressure on Israel and the international community to uphold their responsibilities. These sentiments were echoed by the Popular Struggle Front
(PSF). The Palestinian Democratic Union (FIDA) also organised rallies in support of the bid in the West Bank during September.
Meanwhile, despite the agreement to form a unity government in April, Hamas
was strongly critical of the campaign. Officials labelled it as a purely symbolic move that would not lead to any results; spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri
said, "Even if this move is carried out, it will not oblige the occupation to withdraw one step from the land of Palestine." He also accused Fatah
of acting unilaterally, stating that the proposal did not take Hamas' concerns into consideration.
Days before the application was submitted to the Security Council, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh outwardly rejected the terms of the proposal but emphasised that Hamas would not stand in the way of the establishment of a Palestinian state. He refused to concede anything that would legitimise Israel: "There is no mandate for any Palestinian leadership to infringe on Palestinian national rights, nor is there a mandate for any Palestinian actor to make historic concessions on Palestinian land or the right of the Palestinians, foremost among them the right of return." He added, "We are with the establishment of a Palestinian state on any liberated part of Palestinian land that is agreed upon by the Palestinian people, without recognising Israel or conceding any inch of historical Palestine."
Though some Hamas officials reportedly suggested they would support a peace deal based on the 1967 lines, Haniyeh and many others remained vehemently opposed. "The Palestinian people do not beg the world for a state, and the state can't be created through decisions and initiatives," Haniyeh said. "States liberate their land first and then the political body can be established." Senior official Khalil al-Hayya requested that the legislative council approach the United Nations for recognition of a Palestinian state on all of historical Palestine, and appealed to the United Nations to invalidate Israel.
administration has stated that it does not expect to prevent a resolution from passing should it go ahead. In August, Haaretz quoted the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Ron Prosor
, as stating that Israel stood no chance of altering the outcome of a resolution at the General Assembly by September. "The maximum that we can hope to gain is for a group of states who will abstain or be absent during the vote," wrote Prosor. "Only a few countries will vote against the Palestinian initiative."
Instead, the Israeli government has focused on obtaining a "moral majority" of major democratic powers, in an attempt to diminish the weight of the vote. Considerable weight has been placed on the position of the European Union
, which has not yet been announced. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has stated that it is likely to depend on the wording of the resolution. At the end of August, Israel's defence minister Ehud Barak
told Ashton that Israel was seeking to influence the wording: "It is very important that all the players come up with a text that will emphasise the quick return to negotiations, without an effort to impose pre-conditions on the sides."
Efforts from both Israel and the U.S. have also focused on pressuring the Palestinian leadership to abandon its plans and return to negotiations. In the U.S., Congress
passed a bill denouncing the initiative and calling on the Obama administration to veto any resolution that would recognise a Palestinian state declared outside of an agreement negotiated by the two parties. A similar bill was passed in the Senate
, which also threatened a withdrawal of aid to the West Bank. In late August, another congressional bill was introduced which proposes to block U.S. government funding for any United Nations entity that supports giving Palestine an elevated status. Several top U.S. officials, including ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice and consul-general in Jerusalem Daniel Rubinstein, made similar threats. In the same month, it was reported that the Israeli Ministry of Finance was withholding its monthly payments to the PNA. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman warned that if the Palestinians made a unilateral approach to the United Nations, they would be in violation of the Oslo Accords, and Israel would no longer consider itself bound by them. He also recommended cutting all ties with the PNA.
Palestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
to gain membership for the State of Palestine
State of Palestine
Palestine , officially declared as the State of Palestine , is a state that was proclaimed in exile in Algiers on 15 November 1988, when the Palestine Liberation Organization's National Council adopted the unilateral Palestinian Declaration of Independence...
in the United Nations at its 66th Session
Sixty-sixth session of the United Nations General Assembly
The sixty-sixth session of the United Nations General Assembly opened on 13 September 2011 at 15:00 and is presided over by former Qatari permanent representative to the UN Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser.-Organisation for the session:...
in September 2011. It seeks to effectively gain collective recognition
International recognition of the State of Palestine
The State of Palestine was proclaimed on 15 November 1988 in Algiers at an extraordinary session in exile of the Palestine National Council. Legal justification for this act was based on United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 of 29 November 1947, which provided for the termination and...
for a Palestinian state based on the borders prior to the Six Day War, with East Jerusalem
East Jerusalem
East Jerusalem or Eastern Jerusalem refer to the parts of Jerusalem captured and annexed by Jordan in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and then captured and annexed by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War...
as its capital. The initiative developed during a two-year impasse in negotiations with Israel that followed the latter's refusal to freeze its settlement activities
Israeli settlement
An Israeli settlement is a Jewish civilian community built on land that was captured by Israel from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and is considered occupied territory by the international community. Such settlements currently exist in the West Bank...
in the West Bank. The campaign was reported in the media as early as late 2009, and gained prominence during the leadup to the General Assembly debate in September 2011. President Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
submitted the application to the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
on 23 September; the Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
has yet to vote on it.
The endeavour was formally backed by the Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
in May, and was officially confirmed by the Palestine Liberation Organization on 26 June. The decision has been labelled by the Israeli government as a unilateral step, while the Palestinian government believes it is essential in order to mitigate the current impasse. Several other countries, such as Germany and Canada, have also denounced the decision and called for a prompt return to negotiations. Others, however, such as Norway and Russia, have endorsed the plan, as has the Secretary-General, who stated, "UN members are entitled whether to vote for or against the Palestinian statehood recognition at the UN."
Background
On 29 November 1947, the United Nations General Assembly approved a partition plan to provide for the termination of the British Mandate and the partition of its lands into two independent states. The expiration of the mandate on 15 May 1948 saw the declaration of the State of Israel and the invasion of Palestine by neighbouring Arab states. In the resulting war, Israel captured around half of the territories that had been assigned to an intended Arab state. A series of armistice agreements1949 Armistice Agreements
The 1949 Armistice Agreements are a set of agreements signed during 1949 between Israel and neighboring Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. The agreements ended the official hostilities of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and established armistice lines between Israeli forces and the forces in...
signed between Israel and its neighbours in 1949 officially ended hostilities until Israel's invasion and subsequent occupation of the remainder of Palestinian territory in the Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
of June 1967.
The Palestine Liberation Organization
Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
(PLO) was accorded observer status within the United Nations on 22 November 1974, having been recognised as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. The State of Palestine
State of Palestine
Palestine , officially declared as the State of Palestine , is a state that was proclaimed in exile in Algiers on 15 November 1988, when the Palestine Liberation Organization's National Council adopted the unilateral Palestinian Declaration of Independence...
was proclaimed
Palestinian Declaration of Independence
The Palestinian Declaration of Independence is a statement written by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish and proclaimed by Yasser Arafat on 15 November 1988. It had previously been adopted by the Palestinian National Council, the legislative body of the Palestine Liberation Organization , by a vote...
on 15 November 1988 in Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
at an extraordinary session in exile of the Palestine National Council, citing the partition plan of 1947 as legal justification. In acknowledgement of the declaration, the United Nations upgraded the observer seat of the PLO and accorded it the designation "Palestine", without explicitly referring to it as a state.
At the Security Council in 1989, the PLO representative acknowledged that 94 member states—at that time a majority—had recognised the new Palestinian state. It subsequently attempted to gain membership as a state in several agencies connected to the United Nations, but its efforts were thwarted by threats from the United States to withhold funding from any organisation that admitted Palestine. Consequently, applications and letters of accession to various treaties were either withdrawn or deferred indefinitely. As a consequence, in November 1989, the Arab League proposed a General Assembly resolution to formally recognise the PLO as the government of an independent Palestinian state. The draft, however, was abandoned when the U.S. again threatened to cut off its financing for the United Nations should the vote go ahead. The Arab states agreed not to press the resolution, but demanded that the U.S. promise not to threaten the United Nations with financial sanctions again.
Despite this, in February 1990, the U.S. passed a law prohibiting the appropriation of funds for the United Nations or any of its specialised agencies which accord the PLO the same standing as member states.
The PLO subsequently committed itself to peace negotiations with Israel brokered by the international community. These began with the Madrid Conference
Madrid Conference of 1991
The Madrid Conference was hosted by the government of Spain and co-sponsored by the USA and the USSR. It convened on October 30, 1991 and lasted for three days. It was an early attempt by the international community to start a peace process through negotiations involving Israel and the Palestinians...
in 1991, and resulted in the signing of the Oslo Accords
Oslo Accords
The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles , was an attempt to resolve the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict...
in 1993, leading to the creation of the Palestinian National Authority. In 2002, a Quartet
Quartet on the Middle East
The Quartet on the Middle East, sometimes called the Diplomatic Quartet or Madrid Quartet or simply the Quartet, is a foursome of nations and international and supranational entities involved in mediating the peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Quartet are the United Nations, the...
of third-party brokers developed a road map for peace
Road map for peace
The roadmap for peace or "road map" for peace is a plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proposed by a "quartet" of international entities: the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations. The principles of the plan, originally drafted by U.S. Foreign Service...
aimed at achieving a viable solution to the conflict including the establishment of a Palestinian state. The current outline for a solution was determined and agreed to by both parties during the Annapolis Conference
Annapolis Conference
-Attendees:U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice organized and hosted the conference. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and U.S. President George W. Bush attended the meeting...
of 2007.
Israel was admitted
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 273
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 273 was passed on May 11, 1949 to admit the State of Israel to membership in the United Nations. Admission was made conditional upon implementation of Resolutions 181 of November 29, 1947 and 194 of December 11, 1948 .-Full text:Having received the report...
as a member of the United Nations on May 1949, on its third application. The final resolution approved its admission on the conditions that it implement the 1947 partition plan and Resolution 194 of December 1948, which called for the return of refugees
Right of return
The term right of return refers to a principle of international law, codified in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, giving any person the right to return to, and re-enter, his or her country of origin...
.
Causes
The push for a statehood resolution at the United Nations is seen as a result of growing frustration among Palestinians over the lack of progress in negotiations, and over the continued expansion of Israeli settlementsIsraeli settlement
An Israeli settlement is a Jewish civilian community built on land that was captured by Israel from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and is considered occupied territory by the international community. Such settlements currently exist in the West Bank...
in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. In 2008, The New York Times reported that, "Even among the most moderate Palestinians, the credo of a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict is beginning to erode". Jewish scholar Abdallah Schleifer
Abdallah Schleifer
Prof. S. Abdallah Schleifer is a prominent Middle East expert, former NBC Cairo Bureau chief, and a professor of TV journalism at the American University in Cairo. He has interviewed countless Middle Eastern leaders, including Ayman al-Zawahiri...
described "a sense among Palestinians of almost desperation, that they are being left behind, that the focus for the achievement of a Palestinian two-state solution, a Palestinian state living alongside an Israeli state based on negotiations, has collapsed." In August 2008, the Palestine Strategy Group, composed of government officials, researchers and advisers, published a new strategic position recommending that the leadership transfer the conflict to the United Nations. It stressed that, given the Israeli government's intransigence, the option of settling the conflict through bilateral negotiations was no longer available.
One of the common misgivings amongst Palestinians about the negotiation process is the inability of the PLO to negotiate with Israel as an equal. The PLO has therefore said that global recognition of the Palestinian state is an opportunity to formally level the playing field and create a situation in which two state partners can negotiate as equals.
In 2009, the government of Prime Minister Salam Fayyad
Salam Fayyad
Salam Fayyad is a Palestinian politician and Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority of the Palestinian National Authority. His first appointment, on 15 June 2007, which was justified by President Mahmoud Abbas on the basis of "national emergency", has not been confirmed by the...
developed a state
State (polity)
A state is an organized political community, living under a government. States may be sovereign and may enjoy a monopoly on the legal initiation of force and are not dependent on, or subject to any other power or state. Many states are federated states which participate in a federal union...
-building programme aimed at establishing viable institutions capable of providing effective governance despite the occupation. The agenda was published in August and gave a deadline of two years for the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state. The plan was backed by the European Union, which provided financial and practical assistance to its development. Also in 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
delivered a speech
A New Beginning
"A New Beginning" is the name of a speech delivered by United States President Barack Obama on June 4, 2009, from the Major Reception Hall at Cairo University in Cairo, Egypt. Al-Azhar University co-hosted the event...
in which he became the first U.S. president to endorse the 1967 borders as the basis for a Palestinian state. He brokered direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine the following year, and at the General Assembly session in September 2010, he set a one-year deadline for these negotiations to produce an independent, sovereign state of Palestine admitted as a member. Negotiatons broke down the following month, however, when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He serves also as the Chairman of the Likud Party, as a Knesset member, as the Health Minister of Israel, as the Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel and as the Economic Strategy Minister of Israel.Netanyahu is the first and, to...
refused to extend his government's moratorium on settlement construction in the West Bank, prompting the Palestinians to disengage. President Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
labelled these settlements as unilateral actions aimed at imposing "facts on the ground" and as "the primary obstacle to any peace process".
Towards the end of 2010, the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
released a report that found the PNA "well-positioned to establish a state" at any point in the near future. The report highlighted, however, that unless private-sector growth
Private sector development
Private Sector Development is a strategy for promoting economic growth and reducing poverty in developing countries by building private enterprises, membership organizations representing them, and competitive markets that are stronger and more inclusive....
in the economy was stimulated, a Palestinian state would remain donor dependent
International aid to Palestinians
International aid has played a major role in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict as it has been used as a means to keep the peace process going. Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip receive one of the highest levels of aid in the world...
. In December, the EU acknowledged the progress made in the state-building programme, and several member states agreed to grant diplomatic status to the Palestinian representations in their capitals. In April 2011, the UN's co-ordinator for the Middle East peace process issued a report on the progress made in this area, describing "aspects of its administration as sufficient for an independent state". It echoed a similar assessment published the week prior by the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
.
In July 2011, the PLO published a paper stating that its quest for international recognition of the State of Palestine is aimed at protecting the viability of the two-state solution, and that it is not intended as a substitute for negotiations. It claimed that recognition "strengthens the possibility of reaching a just and lasting peace based on the terms of reference accepted by the international community as the basis for resolving the conflict." Furthermore, it stated:
Another factor that has led to the movement is the Arab Spring
Arab Spring
The Arab Spring , otherwise known as the Arab Awakening, is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on Saturday, 18 December 2010...
. Schleifer said of President Abbas, "He's very self-conscious I think of the overall atmosphere of change in the Arab world, which dramatises the lack of accomplishment in terms of achieving a Palestinian state through negotiations".
Campaign
Diplomatic efforts to gain support for the bid gained momentum following a succession of endorsements from South America in early 2011. High-level delegations led by Mahmoud Abbas, Yasser Abed Rabbo, Riyad al-MalikiRiyad al-Maliki
Riyad Al-Maliki is former Minister of Information, Government Spokesperson, and Foreign Affairs Minister of the Palestinian National Authority in its 12th Government, and resumed office as Foreign Affairs Minister in the current 13th Government....
, Saeb Erekat
Saeb Erekat
Saeb Muhammad Salih Erekat Saeb Muhammad Salih Erekat Saeb Muhammad Salih Erekat (also Erakat; Ṣāʼib ʻUrayqāt or ʻRēqāt, born April 28, 1955 in Jordanian controlled East Jerusalem was the Palestinian chief of the PLO Steering and Monitoring Committee until 12 February 2011...
, Nabil Shaath
Nabil Shaath
Nabil Shaath is a senior Palestinian official who has held the following titles:*Palestinian chief negotiator*Palestinian cabinet minister*Palestinian International Co-operation Minister*Planning Minister for the Palestinian National Authority...
and Riyad Mansour
Riyad H. Mansour
Riyad H. Mansour is a Palestinian-American diplomat and since 2005 has been the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations.Mansour was educated at the University of Akron and Youngstown State University. He was the Deputy Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations from 1983 to...
paid visits to many states. Palestinian ambassadors, assisted by those of other Arab states, were charged with enlisting the support of the governments to which they were accredited. During the lead-up to the vote, Russia, Spain and the People's Republic of China have publicly pledged support for the Palestinian bid, as have inter-governmental organisations such as the African Union
African Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
, and the Non-Aligned Movement
Non-Aligned Movement
The Non-Aligned Movement is a group of states considering themselves not aligned formally with or against any major power bloc. As of 2011, the movement had 120 members and 17 observer countries...
.
Counter-measures
Israeli measures to counter the initiative also increased, and Germany, Italy, Canada and the U.S. announced publicly they would vote against the resolution. Israeli and U.S. diplomats began a campaign pressuring many countries to oppose or abstain from the vote. However, because of the "automatic majority" enjoyed by the Palestinians in the General Assembly, the NetanyahuBenjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He serves also as the Chairman of the Likud Party, as a Knesset member, as the Health Minister of Israel, as the Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel and as the Economic Strategy Minister of Israel.Netanyahu is the first and, to...
administration has stated that it does not expect to prevent a resolution from passing should it go ahead. In August, Haaretz quoted the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Ron Prosor
Ron Prosor
Ron Prosor is an Israeli diplomat and commentator on the Middle East. He served as Israeli Ambassador to the United Kingdom in 2007-2011. In February 2011, Prosor was appointed Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations.-Biography:...
, as stating that Israel stood no chance of altering the outcome of a resolution at the General Assembly by September. "The maximum that we can hope to gain is for a group of states who will abstain or be absent during the vote," wrote Prosor. "Only a few countries will vote against the Palestinian initiative."
Instead, the Israeli government has focused on obtaining a "moral majority" of major democratic powers, in an attempt to diminish the weight of the vote. Considerable weight has been placed on the position of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, which has not yet been announced. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has stated that it is likely to depend on the wording of the resolution. At the end of August, Israel's defence minister Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak is an Israeli politician who served as Prime Minister from 1999 until 2001. He was leader of the Labor Party until January 2011 and holds the posts of Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister in Binyamin Netanyahu's government....
told Ashton that Israel was seeking to influence the wording: "It is very important that all the players come up with a text that will emphasise the quick return to negotiations, without an effort to impose pre-conditions on the sides."
Efforts from both Israel and the U.S. have also focused on pressuring the Palestinian leadership to abandon its plans and return to negotiations. In the U.S., Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
passed a bill denouncing the initiative and calling on the Obama administration to veto any resolution that would recognise a Palestinian state declared outside of an agreement negotiated by the two parties. A similar bill was passed in the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, which also threatened a withdrawal of aid to the West Bank. In late August, another congressional bill was introduced which proposes to block U.S. government funding for any United Nations entity that supports giving Palestine an elevated status. Several top U.S. officials, including ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice and consul-general in Jerusalem Daniel Rubinstein, made similar threats. In the same month, it was reported that the Israeli Ministry of Finance was withholding its monthly payments to the PNA. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman warned that if the Palestinians made a unilateral approach to the United Nations, they would be in violation of the Oslo Accords, and Israel would no longer consider itself bound by them. He also recommended cutting all ties with the PNA.
Applications
On 16 September, President Abbas announced that he would be applying for full membership to the United Nations, ending speculation about which route the government would take. Abbas submitted the application for the admission of the State of Palestine as a full member to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moonBan Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
on 23 September, immediately prior to delivering his address to the General Assembly. The territorial basis referred to were the 4 June 1967 borders
Green Line (Israel)
Green Line refers to the demarcation lines set out in the 1949 Armistice Agreements between Israel and its neighbours after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War...
, with al-Quds al-Sharif
East Jerusalem
East Jerusalem or Eastern Jerusalem refer to the parts of Jerusalem captured and annexed by Jordan in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and then captured and annexed by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War...
as its capital. The application stated that it was being submitted in line with "the Palestinian people's natural, legal and historic rights", citing the 1947 partition plan as well as the 1988 declaration of independence and its subsequent acknowledgement by General Assembly Resolution 43/177 of 15 December 1988. It also reaffirmed the state's commitment to the achievement of a "just, lasting and comprehensive resolution" to the conflict "based on the vision of two states living side by side in peace and security". The application was referred to the Security Council's committee on membership on 28 September. A vote on whether to approve it is scheduled for 11 November.
In order for a state to gain membership in the General Assembly, its application must have the support of two-thirds of member states with a prior recommendation for admission from the Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
. This requires, in particular, at least 9 in favour and the absence of a veto
United Nations Security Council veto power
The United Nations Security Council "power of veto" refers to the veto power wielded solely by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council , enabling them to prevent the adoption of any "substantive" draft Council resolution, regardless of the level of international support...
from any of the council's five permanent members. At the prospect of a veto from the United States, Palestinian leaders signalled they might opt instead for a more limited upgrade to "non-member state" status, which requires a simple majority
Majority
A majority is a subset of a group consisting of more than half of its members. This can be compared to a plurality, which is a subset larger than any other subset; i.e. a plurality is not necessarily a majority as the largest subset may consist of less than half the group's population...
in the General Assembly. In contrast to full membership, this requires only a simple majority
Majority
A majority is a subset of a group consisting of more than half of its members. This can be compared to a plurality, which is a subset larger than any other subset; i.e. a plurality is not necessarily a majority as the largest subset may consist of less than half the group's population...
in the General Assembly. This was pushed as a compromise option by several European members. Another potential course of action that al-Malki announced was in consideration was to overrule the veto through the Uniting for Peace emergency procedure, with requires two-thirds of the General Assembly.
UNESCO
The PLO was accorded observer status at UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in 1974. In 1989, an application for the admission of the State of Palestine as a member state was submitted by a group of seven states during the 131st session of UNESCO's Executive Board. The board postponed a decision until the next session, and the item was included on each session's agenda thereafter, being repeatedly deferred. During the board's 187th session in September 2011, a draft resolution was presented by 24 states requesting that the application be considered and the State of Palestine be granted membership in the organisation. Following consultations between the representatives of the 58-member board, the draft resolution was put for voting on 5 October. The board voted in favour of recommending the application, winning the approval of 40 states. The resolution to admit Palestine as the agency's 195th member state
Member states of UNESCO
, UNESCO members include 194 member states and 8 associate members. Some members have additional National Organizing Committees for some of their dependent territories. The associate members are non-independent states.-Member States:...
was adopted at the 36th General Conference on 31 October. Of the 185 dues-paying members eligible for voting, 107 were in favour, 14 were against, 52 abstained and 12 were absent. The resolution was submitted by a total of 43 states. Palestine became a member of UNESCO on November 23. Palestine's admission to UNESCO will make it the third member state that is not a member state of the United Nations.
As a result of the vote, Israel released a statement rejecting the decision of the general conference and warning that it would be reconsidering its future co-operation with the agency, calling the vote a "tragedy". The Israeli government accelerated the building of settlements within the West Bank and East Jerusalem while withholding payments of US$100 million per month to the PNA. Israeli foreign minister Yigal Palmor stated these measures were an attempt to increase pressure on Palestinians, while Abbas noted it would further disrupt the peace process. Netanyahu said that the settlement construction was not punishment, but a "basic right of [the Israeli] people". This Israeli move was criticised by the UN, the USA, the EU, and the EU three
EU three
The EU 3 refers to France, Germany and the United Kingdom, with relation to the status, power and influence of these three nations within the European Union...
.
The USA announced it was cutting off funding for UNESCO, citing the 1990 congressional law as justification. A spokeswoman for the government said it would withhold a US$60 million payment it was scheduled to make in November. Canada has also withheld funding. The resolution also highlighted the divergence in foreign policies within the European Union.
Future applications
On 31 October, 2011, following the admission of Palestine to UNESCO, the Minister of Health Fathi Abu Moghli announced that the PLO would also seek membership at the World Health OrganizationWorld Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
. However, following protests by the UN Secretary-General, al-Malki announced on 3 November that at this point the PLO would not seek membership in other UN agencies until the issue of membership has been resolved at the Security Council.
Public
The months coming up to the application's submission saw the emergence of several public support groups and an increasing level of support in grass-roots activist initiatives. A group of artists from JeninJenin
Jenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
were commissioned to craft an olive-wood blue chair symbolising the campaign and take it on an international tour of the Middle East and Europe en route to the United Nations headquarters in New York. The chair was embroidered with the UN logo and the words "Palestine's Right: A full membership in the United Nations". Online amnesty group Avaaz
Avaaz.org
Avaaz.org is a global civic organization launched in January 2007 that promotes activism on issues such as climate change, human rights, corruption, poverty, and conflict...
launched an e-petition on its website urging all United Nations members to endorse the bid to admit Palestine; it reportedly attained 500,000 signatures in its first four days. OneVoice Palestine
OneVoice Movement
OneVoice is a non profit organization and citizen activism movement working in Israel and the Palestinian territories to achieve a two-state solution through non-violent means...
launched a domestic campaign in partnership with local news agencies, with the aim of getting the involvement and support of Palestinian citizens. Overseas, campaigns were launched in several nations, calling on their governments to vote "yes" in the resolution.
On 7 September, a group of activists under the banner "Palestine: State No. 194" staged a demonstration outside the United Nations' office in Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
. During this they submitted to the office a letter addressed to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
, urging him to "exert all possible efforts toward the achievement of the Palestinian people's just demands". The following day, Ban told reporters: "I support ... the statehood of Palestinians; an independent, sovereign state of Palestine. It has been long overdue," but that "recognition of a state is something to be determined by the member states."
In the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
, support groups called on Palestinians to actively campaign for the bid, and planned a series of co-ordinated demonstrations to take place in cities between 19–23 September. Massive demonstrations were staged in several cities in the West Bank in support of the bid, including Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
and Hebron
Hebron
Hebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
. A women's rally was also staged by Palestinians and Israelis at the Qalandia
Kalandia
Kalandia also Qalandiya is a Palestinian village and a refugee camp located between Jerusalem and Ramallah. In 2006, 1,154 people were living in the village of Kalandia according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics...
checkpoint between Ramallah and Jerusalem. On 23 September, thousands turned out in central squares of Ramallah to watch the president's address to the General Assembly. Columns of children marched into the square from side streets holding portraits of Abu Mazen, and candles were lit as he gave the address. One attendant observed, "Large numbers of people have come out like this before, but they always had anger on their faces." The organisers emphasised their intention to keep the rallies strictly peaceful, and reports indicated that this was mostly the case. However, several violent clashes occurred between demonstrators and the Israeli army at Qalandia, in which one Palestinian man was killed. In addition, violence between Israeli settlers and local Palestinians escalated to a peak.
In Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
, all demonstrations in support or condemnation of the application were banned in an attempt to avoid any action with the potential to deepen the divisions between Palestinian factions. A survey by a Palestinian research center found that 86 percent of Gaza residents favour the push for membership, more than in the West Bank.
Overseas, rallies in support of the bid were staged in Berlin, Buenos Aires, Bucharest, Caracas, Copenhagen, London, Prague, Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
, Sofia and Stockholm. Demonstrators in Amman expressed opposition to the proposal, calling instead for a state on the entirety of the historical Palestinian land. Rallies were staged in New York on the days leading up to the summit, and continued outside the United Nations headquarters building throughout the duration of the session.
Opposition parties
The Popular Front for the Liberation of PalestinePopular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist organisation founded in 1967. It has consistently been the second-largest of the groups forming the Palestine Liberation Organization , the largest being Fatah...
(PFLP) backed the bid in early September. A spokesman for the organisation said, "We support the Palestinian leadership's plan to go to the UN because that is a natural right of the Palestinians and part of the political battle against Israeli occupation." The chairman of the Palestinian National Initiative
Palestinian National Initiative
Palestinian National Initiative is a Palestinian political movement or party led by Dr. Mustafa Barghouti.Its formation was formally announced on June 17, 2002 in Ramallah on the West Bank, part of the Palestinian Territories, by Dr. Haidar Abdel-Shafi, Dr...
(PNI), Mustafa Barghouti
Mustafa Barghouti
Mustafa Barghouti is a Palestinian democracy activist. He was a candidate for the presidency of the Palestinian National Authority in 2005, finishing second to Mahmoud Abbas, with 19% of the vote.Barghouti was born in Jerusalem...
, endorsed the plan as "the last option for two states". He argued, "The time has come for an alternative. There is no space or place for talks," adding that the campaign was "an outcry toward the international community for a two-state solution." The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist, secular political and military organization. It is also frequently referred to as the Democratic Front, or al-Jabha al-Dimuqratiyah...
(DFLP) backed the plan as early as July, organising a supportive rally at the UN headquarters in Gaza. A spokesman encouraged the public to support the campaign, and said that it would put pressure on Israel and the international community to uphold their responsibilities. These sentiments were echoed by the Popular Struggle Front
Palestinian Popular Struggle Front
The Palestinian Popular Struggle Front , , is a militant Palestinian organization. The group was led by Dr. Samir Ghawshah until his death in 2009...
(PSF). The Palestinian Democratic Union (FIDA) also organised rallies in support of the bid in the West Bank during September.
Meanwhile, despite the agreement to form a unity government in April, Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
was strongly critical of the campaign. Officials labelled it as a purely symbolic move that would not lead to any results; spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri
Sami Abu Zuhri
Sami Abu Zuhri is a senior spokesman for the Palestinian political party Hamas. Zuhri, a relatively unknown member of Hamas, gained notoriety on May 19, 2006, when Palestinian security and customs officials discovered he had 640,000 euros on his person; another report claimed he held a larger sum...
said, "Even if this move is carried out, it will not oblige the occupation to withdraw one step from the land of Palestine." He also accused Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
of acting unilaterally, stating that the proposal did not take Hamas' concerns into consideration.
Days before the application was submitted to the Security Council, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh outwardly rejected the terms of the proposal but emphasised that Hamas would not stand in the way of the establishment of a Palestinian state. He refused to concede anything that would legitimise Israel: "There is no mandate for any Palestinian leadership to infringe on Palestinian national rights, nor is there a mandate for any Palestinian actor to make historic concessions on Palestinian land or the right of the Palestinians, foremost among them the right of return." He added, "We are with the establishment of a Palestinian state on any liberated part of Palestinian land that is agreed upon by the Palestinian people, without recognising Israel or conceding any inch of historical Palestine."
Though some Hamas officials reportedly suggested they would support a peace deal based on the 1967 lines, Haniyeh and many others remained vehemently opposed. "The Palestinian people do not beg the world for a state, and the state can't be created through decisions and initiatives," Haniyeh said. "States liberate their land first and then the political body can be established." Senior official Khalil al-Hayya requested that the legislative council approach the United Nations for recognition of a Palestinian state on all of historical Palestine, and appealed to the United Nations to invalidate Israel.
Israel
The Israeli government totally opposes the Palestinian move at the United Nations and claims that only through bilateral negotiations without preconditions could a Palestinian state be established. Israeli measures to counter the initiative also increased, and Germany, the Netherlands, Canada and the U.S. announced publicly they would vote against the resolution. Israeli and U.S. diplomats began a campaign pressuring many countries to oppose or abstain from the vote. However, because of the "automatic majority" enjoyed by the Palestinians in the General Assembly, the NetanyahuBenjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He serves also as the Chairman of the Likud Party, as a Knesset member, as the Health Minister of Israel, as the Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel and as the Economic Strategy Minister of Israel.Netanyahu is the first and, to...
administration has stated that it does not expect to prevent a resolution from passing should it go ahead. In August, Haaretz quoted the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Ron Prosor
Ron Prosor
Ron Prosor is an Israeli diplomat and commentator on the Middle East. He served as Israeli Ambassador to the United Kingdom in 2007-2011. In February 2011, Prosor was appointed Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations.-Biography:...
, as stating that Israel stood no chance of altering the outcome of a resolution at the General Assembly by September. "The maximum that we can hope to gain is for a group of states who will abstain or be absent during the vote," wrote Prosor. "Only a few countries will vote against the Palestinian initiative."
Instead, the Israeli government has focused on obtaining a "moral majority" of major democratic powers, in an attempt to diminish the weight of the vote. Considerable weight has been placed on the position of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, which has not yet been announced. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has stated that it is likely to depend on the wording of the resolution. At the end of August, Israel's defence minister Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak is an Israeli politician who served as Prime Minister from 1999 until 2001. He was leader of the Labor Party until January 2011 and holds the posts of Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister in Binyamin Netanyahu's government....
told Ashton that Israel was seeking to influence the wording: "It is very important that all the players come up with a text that will emphasise the quick return to negotiations, without an effort to impose pre-conditions on the sides."
Efforts from both Israel and the U.S. have also focused on pressuring the Palestinian leadership to abandon its plans and return to negotiations. In the U.S., Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
passed a bill denouncing the initiative and calling on the Obama administration to veto any resolution that would recognise a Palestinian state declared outside of an agreement negotiated by the two parties. A similar bill was passed in the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, which also threatened a withdrawal of aid to the West Bank. In late August, another congressional bill was introduced which proposes to block U.S. government funding for any United Nations entity that supports giving Palestine an elevated status. Several top U.S. officials, including ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice and consul-general in Jerusalem Daniel Rubinstein, made similar threats. In the same month, it was reported that the Israeli Ministry of Finance was withholding its monthly payments to the PNA. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman warned that if the Palestinians made a unilateral approach to the United Nations, they would be in violation of the Oslo Accords, and Israel would no longer consider itself bound by them. He also recommended cutting all ties with the PNA.
International
| Member state | Recogn. International recognition of the State of Palestine The State of Palestine was proclaimed on 15 November 1988 in Algiers at an extraordinary session in exile of the Palestine National Council. Legal justification for this act was based on United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 of 29 November 1947, which provided for the termination and... |
Position | Further details |
|---|---|---|---|
 Afghanistan |
Yes | Supportive | In his speech to the General Assembly, Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul Zalmai Rassoul Dr. Zalmai Rassoul is a politician in Afghanistan, serving as the Foreign Minister since January 2010 after receiving the confidence vote of the Afghan National Assembly. He previously served as National Security Advisor of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, which he held since June 2002... stood firmly behind Palestinian efforts aimed at full membership. He stated: "We reiterate our call for an immediate end to their suffering and the realisation of their inalienable rights, including the right to an independent State. In this connection, we stand firmly behind efforts aimed at Palestine's admission as a full member of the United Nations. I hope that this year we will witness, with pride, the inclusion of Palestine as the 194th member of the United Nations." |
 Albania |
Yes | Against | In his address to the General Assembly, Prime Minister Sali Berisha Sali Berisha Sali Ram Berisha is an Albanian politician and cardiologist, currently the Prime Minister of Albania and the leader of Democratic Party of Albania .... stated: "My government fully supports the idea of an independent Palestine, but I do believe that unilateral action will not be helpful. That is why I call on our Palestinian friends to support the yesterday's Quartet statement in which they draw a clear roadmap of actions to address this fundamental question of our time." It was not made clear whether Albania would support an upgrade in observer status. |
 Algeria |
Yes | Supportive | In his address to the General Assembly, Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci Mourad Medelci Mourad Medelci is an Algerian politician and the current Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria.-Early life:Medelci studied Economics at the University of Algiers receiving his Bachelor's degree in 1966 and Masters degree in 1968... said that Palestine's application for statehood was an opportunity to impose international law. He stated: "The initiative of the Palestinian Authority to demand during this session, the recognition of Palestine as a member state of the United Nations represents an opportunity for the UN to correct, ever so slightly, an injustice that has lasted over 60 years. Such admission represents a clear and unequivocal response from the international community regarding its determination to impose international law." |
 Andorra |
No | Against | In his address to the General Assembly, Foreign Minister Gilbert Saboya Sunyé implored the international community to continue to encourage dialogue and mediation, pointing out that both sides' wishes are equally legitimate. He said, "The final aim of a mutual recognition of two States by both peoples, in accordance with 1967 lines with agreed and equivalent exchanges is at stake. A possible intermediate status in a shorter term by becoming an observer State could represent hope for the Palestinian people, provided this status is not used for aims incompatible with the continuity of negotiations and will lead to the above mentioned long term goal." |
 Angola |
Yes | Supportive | Speaking to reporters in New York on 20 September, Foreign Minister Georges Chicoti said that Angola supports the admission of the Palestinian state to the United Nations. |
 Antigua and Barbuda |
Yes | Supportive | Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer Baldwin Spencer Winston Baldwin Spencer is the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda. He has been Prime Minister since March 24, 2004, when his party, the United Progressive Party , which he had led as the opposition party for several years, won a parliamentary election... formally recognised the State of Palestine during the General Assembly session in September. The statement was circulated to representatives in attendance. In his address, Spencer stated: "We decided to join with others who have already done so and grant recognition to the State of Palestine. As we did then and we do now, we believe that recognition of the State of Palestine will contribute to the quest for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the creation of lasting peace and stability in the region, and ultimately result in a viable Palestine, and a secure Israel." |
 Argentina |
Yes | Supportive | In her address to the General Assembly on 21 September, Cristina Fernández Cristina Fernández de Kirchner Cristina Elisabet Fernández de Kirchner , commonly known as Cristina Fernández or Cristina Kirchner is the 55th and current President of Argentina and the widow of former President Néstor Kirchner. She is Argentina's first elected female president, and the second female president ever to serve... gave her support for the application and said that giving membership to Palestine would contribute to a more secure and just world: "Failing to include Palestine this year, far from giving security and stability to the world, will create more insecurity and completely unfavorable conditions for what should be the exercise of a body which should represent the interests of all citizens." |
 Armenia |
No | ||
 Australia |
No | ||
 Austria |
No | Against | In his address to the General Assembly, Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger Michael Spindelegger Michael Spindelegger is an Austrian lawyer and politician. He is the current Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister of Austria in the cabinet of Werner Faymann. Since 2011, Spindelegger is the current leader of the Austrian People's Party .- Early and personal life :Spindelegger was born in Mödling,... rejected unilateral actions, saying: "We have no choice but to return to direct negotiations between the two parties. The Quartet in its statement of yesterday has shown a way how to do this and has also proposed concrete timelines. Austria fully supports the Quartet statement. There is no time to lose." He did not make clear whether Austria would support an upgrade in observer status. |
 Azerbaijan |
Yes | Supportive | In his speech to the General Assembly, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov Elmar Mammadyarov Elmar Mammadyarov Maharram oglu , born on July 2, 1960, Baku), is the Foreign Minister in the Government of Azerbaijan since 2004. Mammadyarov speaks Russian, English and Turkish.-Early life:... said: "Azerbaijan reaffirms its adherence to the position expressed by the majority of the United Nations Member States. We reiterate our long-standing solidarity with the people and leadership of Palestine and believe that the time has come to reach a breakthrough on this long-standing and very important issue. The time has come for Palestine to he fully represented at the United Nations." |
 The Bahamas |
No | ||
 Bahrain |
Yes | Supportive | In his speech to the General Assembly on 22 September, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa called on the United Nations to recognise Palestine as a member state: "Today, more than any time before, the international community has an opportunity to do justice to the brotherly Palestinian people and to assist it to achieve its legitimate aspirations by recognising its independent Palestinian state on their own national territory, with East Jerusalem as its capital." |
 Bangladesh |
Yes | Supportive | During a press conference in New York, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sheikh Hasina Sheikh Hasina is a Bangladeshi politician and current Prime Minister of Bangladesh. She has been the President of the Awami League, a major political party, since 1981. She is the eldest of five children of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh and widow of a reputed nuclear... said that "Bangladesh is always beside Palestine. We've always supported Palestine and we will." She added, "If there's a vote, Bangladesh will vote for Palestine." |
 Barbados |
No | ||
 Belarus |
Yes | Unknown | Belarus' representative at the General Assembly focused primarily on domestic issues and did not announce a position on the Palestinian application. It voted in favour of recommending Palestine's admission to UNESCO. |
 Belgium |
No | ||
 Belize |
Yes | ||
 Benin |
Yes | ||
 Bhutan |
Yes | ||
 Bolivia |
Yes | Supportive | In his address to the General Assembly, President Evo Morales Evo Morales Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union... stated: "Of course we give our full support. I want to say that Bolivia not only supports the recognition of Palestine to the United Nations, but our position is more like Bolivia welcomes Palestine to United Nations." |
| Yes | Against | ||
 Botswana |
Yes | ||
 Brazil |
Yes | Supportive | Brazil has firmly stressed its support for a Palestinian state within the borders of 1967, with Jerusalem as its capital. In her address to the General Assembly, President Dilma Rousseff Dilma Rousseff Dilma Vana Rousseff is the 36th and current President of Brazil. She is the first woman to hold the office. Prior to that, in 2005, she was also the first woman to become Chief of Staff of Brazil, appointed by then President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.... reiterated her country's firm support: "We believe the time has come for us to have Palestine fully represented as a full member in this forum." Brazil voted in favour of Palestine's admission as a full member of UNESCO and has announced it will support Palestine's full membership application when it comes to a vote at the Security Council. |
 Brunei |
Yes | ||
 Kingdom of Bulgaria |
Yes | Supportive | |
 Burkina Faso |
Yes | Supportive | In his speech to the General Assembly, Foreign Minister Djibrill Ypènè Bassolé stated: "We support the application for membership of Palestine to the United Nations as a member state and reiterate our call for the establishment of lasting and comprehensive peace in this region." |
 Burundi |
Yes | ||
 Cambodia |
Yes | Supportive | In his speech, Foreign Minister Hor Namhong Hor Namhong Hor Namhong is a Cambodian diplomat who has served in the government of Cambodia as Minister of Foreign Affairs since 1998. He previously held the same post from 1990 until 1993... said: "Cambodia has always supported the creation of a Palestine state on the basis of its 1967 borders. With this in mind, Cambodia supports during this General Assembly the rights of Palestine to become a full member of the UN." |
 Cameroon |
No | ||
 Canada |
No | Against | In July 2011, the spokesman for Foreign Minister John Baird John Baird (Canadian politician) John Russell Baird, PC, MP is a Canadian politician currently serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.... stated, "Our government's long-standing position has not changed. The only solution to this conflict is one negotiated between and agreed to by the two parties. ... One of the states must be a Jewish state Jewish state A homeland for the Jewish people was an idea that rose to the fore in the 19th century in the wake of growing anti-Semitism and Jewish assimilation. Jewish emancipation in Europe paved the way for two ideological solutions to the Jewish Question: cultural assimilation, as envisaged by Moses... and recognised as such, while the Palestinian state is to be a non-militarised Demilitarized zone In military terms, a demilitarized zone is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers , where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice, or other bilateral or multilateral agreement... one". In his speech to the General Assembly in September, Baird confirmed that Canada would not support the application, and labelled the endeavours as "unilateral actions". |
 Cape Verde |
Yes | ||
 Central African Republic |
Yes | ||
 Chad |
Yes | Supportive | In his address to the General Assembly, President Idriss Déby Idriss Déby General Idriss Déby Itno is the President of Chad and the head of the Patriotic Salvation Movement. Déby is of the Bidyat clan of the Zaghawa ethnic group. He added "Itno" to his surname in January 2006.-Rise to power:... stated: "I say it frankly, the time has come to recognise a State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel. We must have the courage to take this step, which is essential for the advancement of peace between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples." |
 Chile |
Yes | Supportive | In his address to the General Assembly, President Sebastián Piñera Sebastián Piñera Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique is a Chilean businessman and politician. He was elected President of Chile in January 2010, taking office in March 2010.- Education :... said: "With regard to the promotion of world peace, we have recognised the Palestinian State and hope very soon to welcome it to this Organisation, and we have resolutely supported all the international efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in the Middle East that will allow Palestinians to have a free, sovereign and democratic State and Israel to have frontiers that are recognised, secure and respected." |
 People's Republic of China |
Yes | Supportive | In his address to the General Assembly, Foreign Affairs Minister Yang Jiechi said: "China consistently supports the just cause of establishing an independent Palestinian state and supports Palestine's membership in the United Nations." China had previously pledged support for the application in August. |
 Colombia |
No | Against | President Juan Manuel Santos Juan Manuel Santos Juan Manuel Santos Calderón is a Colombian politician who has been the President of Colombia since 7 August 2010. He previously served as Minister of Foreign Trade, Minister of Finance, and Minister of National Defense.-Career:... has said that he does not believe a bid for United Nations membership is the appropriate method to gain independence, and maintains that this can only be achieved through direct negotiations with Israel. The government has stated that it will likely abstain from a Security Council vote on the application, but has not indicated its stance on an upgrade in observer status. |
 Comoros |
Yes | Supportive | President Ikililou Dhoinine Ikililou Dhoinine Ikililou Dhoinine is a Comorian politician and the current President of Comoros; he was previously a Vice-President of Comoros. Dhoinine won the 2010 Comorian presidential election where he received the most votes in the first round . He faced Mohamed Said Fazul and Abdou Djabir in a run-off... said his country supported the membership request and called for the support of other member states. "The Comoros have always supported the struggle of the fraternal Palestinian people. They support the demand of the Palestinian Authority addressed to the international community for recognition of a Palestinian state in its June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as capital. ... My country, as it is concerned, is in line with this recognition and appeal to all peace-loving country, free and just, to do the same." |
| Yes | Unknown | Foreign Minister Basile Ikouébé Basile Ikouébé Basile Ikouébé is a Congolese diplomat who has served in the government of Congo-Brazzaville as Minister of Foreign Affairs and La Francophonie since 2007. Previously, Ikouébé was Congo-Brazzaville's Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 1998 to 2007... did not specifically mention the Palestinian application in his speech, but reiterated his government's support for a Palestinian state: "It's time to do justice to the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people." Congo was one of the nations which voted to recommend the admission of Palestine to UNESCO. |
|
| Yes | Unknown | President Joseph Kabila Joseph Kabila Joseph Kabila Kabange is a Congolese politician who has been President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since January 2001. He took office ten days after the assassination of his father, President Laurent-Désiré Kabila... did not mention the application in his address, and the DRC has not announced an official position. It was among the nations which voted to recommend the admission of Palestine to UNESCO. |
|
 Costa Rica |
Yes | Supportive | Prior to the application's submission, the Foreign Ministry stated that Costa Rica would support Palestine's admission, provided it does not compromise the right to existence and security of Israel. |
| Yes | |||
 Independent State of Croatia |
No | ||
 Cuba |
Yes | Supportive | In his speech, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla Bruno Eduardo Rodríguez Parrilla is a Cuban diplomat and politician. He is presently the Foreign Minister of Cuba. He was his country's Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 1995 to 2003. Rodríguez Parrilla was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs on March 2, 2009, replacing... said that the "General Assembly has the inescapable moral, political and legal obligation to ensure the recognition of an independent Palestinian State, with the boundaries established before 1967 and with East Jerusalem as its capital, as a full member of the United Nations Organisation." |
 Cyprus |
Yes | Unknown | Cyprus recognised the 1967 lines as the borders of the State of Palestine in January. In June, it was reported that Interior Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis had offered to rally support in Europe for the Palestinian bid for United Nations recognition. In September, Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis is a Cypriot politician who is currently the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus. She had also served in this post from July 2007 until March 2008. She is married with George Marcoullis and has a son.-References:... said that Cyprus will follow any common position developed by the EU. According to one diplomat, "As far as Cyprus is concerned, the most comfortable situation is where the EU votes as a whole and they're a part of it, sheltered in the team." Failing a united position, the Cypriot government has not indicated how it will vote, and diplomats have speculated that it would likely abstain: "It would be very uncomfortable for Cyprus to go against Israel or the Palestinians." |
 Czech Republic |
Yes | Against | In a visit to Jerusalem in mid-September, Prime Minister Petr Nečas Petr Necas Petr Nečas is the current Prime Minister of the Czech Republic and Leader of the Civic Democratic Party. He was sworn into office on 28 June 2010.... publicly stated that his government would back Israel, saying "We are convinced that any unilateral steps will only harm the peace process." In his speech to the General Assembly, President Václav Klaus Václav Klaus Václav Klaus is the second President of the Czech Republic and a former Prime Minister .An economist, he is co-founder of the Civic Democratic Party, the Czech Republic's largest center-right political party. Klaus is a eurosceptic, but he reluctantly endorsed the Lisbon treaty as president of... stated: "... there is no shortcut to the end of a conflict that has endured for decades. It requires both sides to take an innovative approach and overcome some old inflexible and rigid schemes of thought. It requires both sides to negotiate and to find a balanced solution which would last. Such solution cannot come through unilateral steps, neither those forced by the UN, nor the steps taken by one side of the dispute only." The Czech Republic is a long-time ally of Israel and has been called by Netanyahu Israel's biggest supporter in Europe. |
 Denmark |
No | Supportive | |
 Djibouti |
Yes | Supportive | President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh Ismail Omar Guelleh Ismaïl Omar Guelleh is the President of Djibouti. He succeeded his uncle, Hassan Gouled Aptidon, in 1999. He is often referred to in the region by his initials 'IOG'.... expressed his solidarity with the Palestinian people's continued struggle under occupation and urged countries to give them hope by recognising them as a member of the organisation. "The time has come for us to give hope to our Palestinian brothers and sisters by giving them the right to become a full-fledged state. ... History will remember, I hope, that today we have chosen to end injustice. The choice to finally give to Palestine a full place in the international community. History will remember especially that we have chosen not to disappoint the hopes of the people of Palestine." |
 Dominica |
No | Unknown | Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit Roosevelt Skerrit Roosevelt Skerrit is a Dominican politician who has been Prime Minister of Dominica since 2004; he has also been the Member of Parliament for the Vieille Case constituency since 2000... is regarded by political analysts as a close ally of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez Hugo Chávez Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela... —himself a staunch supporter of Palestine. It was speculated in the media that Skerrit would likely vote for Palestine in any resolution. Dominica is one of eight members of the Bolivarian Alliance, which issued a statement on 9 September 2011 expressing full support for the recognition of the State of Palestine by the United Nations. During the assembly in September, the foreign minister of Guyana implied that Dominica would support the bid, saying that it had possibly already recognised the State of Palestine. However, nothing has been publicly confirmed by the government. |
 Dominican Republic |
Yes | Supportive | In October, President Leonel Fernández Leonel Fernández Leonel Antonio Fernández Reyna is a Dominican lawyer, academic, and the current President of the Dominican Republic since 2004. He held the same office from 1996 to 2000... formally pledged his country's support for the Palestinian application during a meeting with President Abbas in Santo Domingo. He said that recognising the statehood of Palestine would help bring about sustainable peace in the Middle East and ease concerns in the entire Arab community. |
 East Timor |
Yes | Supportive | Upon his country's admission to the General Assembly in 2002, President Xanana Gusmão Xanana Gusmão Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão GCL is a former militant who was the first President of East Timor, serving from May 2002 to May 2007... declared East Timor "ready to recognise the Palestinian state", and did so in 2004. At a summit of the Pacific Islands Forum in September 2011, Foreign Minister Zacarias da Costa Zacarias da Costa Zacarias Albano da Costa is a East Timorese politician and diplomat. On August 8, 2007, he became Minister of Foreign Affairs2 following the 2007 parliamentary election... pledged his support for the Palestinians' efforts to obtain full membership in the United Nations. In the same month, President José Ramos-Horta appealed to the U.S. and Israel to support, rather than oppose, the application. |
 Ecuador |
Yes | Supportive | In his speech to the General Assembly, Ecuador's permanent representative to the United Nations, Francisco Carrión-Mena, said: "Ecuador, qualifying as an act of historical justice, recognised on 24 December 2010 Palestine as a free and independent state in its 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Therefore, my country gave its unqualified support for the application for recognition of the State of Palestine as a member of the United Nations, formally requested by the Palestinian president, as well as all other initiatives aimed at consolidating a lasting peace, which will not only benefit the peoples of Palestine and Israel, but throughout the region." |
 Egypt |
Yes | Supportive | Speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement Non-Aligned Movement The Non-Aligned Movement is a group of states considering themselves not aligned formally with or against any major power bloc. As of 2011, the movement had 120 members and 17 observer countries... as well as Egypt, Foreign Minister Kemal Ali Amer reiterated "the Movement's support to the efforts exerted towards declaring the establishment of the independent State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital and its admission as a full member of the United Nations." The minister added, "I also must call upon the countries that have not yet recognised the State of Palestine to do so as a contribution to the efforts aimed at achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive settlement ofthe conflict in the Middle East, based on the two states solution." |
 El Salvador |
Yes | Supportive | President Mauricio Funes Mauricio Funes Carlos Mauricio Funes Cartagena is the President of El Salvador. He won the 2009 presidential election as the candidate of the left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front political party and took office on 1 June 2009.-Biography:Funes is married to Dr. Vanada Pignado, who was involved in... stated in his address that, "Recognising Palestine as a new State in the United Nations is, in my opinion, the right way to contribute to resolving this conflict." |
 Equatorial Guinea |
Yes | ||
 Eritrea |
No | President Isaias Afewerki Isaias Afewerki Isaias Afewerki is the first and current President of Eritrea, attaining that status when he led the Eritrean People's Liberation Front to victory in May 1991, thus ending the 30-year old armed liberation struggle that the Eritrean people refer to as "Gedli".-Early life and rise to power:Afewerki... reaffirmed his nation's support for the right of Palestinians to self-determination and an independent, sovereign state, but emphasised that the Palestinian drive for United Nations membership should not become a symbolic battle bereft of substance, recalling that the Oslo Accords had led neither to Palestinian statehood, nor to peace between the two sides. |
|
 Estonia |
No | Against | On 20 September, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet Urmas Paet Urmas Paet is an Estonian politician who has been Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia since 2005. He is a member of the Estonian Reform Party. As of September 2010, Paet has been the longest serving minister since the re-establishment of Estonian independence.-Biography:Paet was born in Tallinn... declared that Estonia does not support the request for membership. Paet said unilateral developments would only complicate the peace process: "Nor will unilateral steps contribute to the recommencement of peace talks between Israel and Palestine, regional stability or, ultimately, the creation of a vital Palestinian state. Thus they cannot be supported." |
 Ethiopia |
Yes | ||
 Fiji |
No | ||
 Finland |
No | Supportive | Outgoing foreign minister Alexander Stubb Alexander Stubb Cai-Göran Alexander Stubb is a Finnish politician and Minister for Foreign Affairs from 4 April 2008 to 22 June 2011... reportedly expressed his government's support for the campaign in April. In October, Finland accorded diplomatic status to the PLO representative in Helsinki. Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja Erkki Tuomioja Erkki Sakari Tuomioja is the Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs. He is currently a member of the Finnish Parliament.Tuomioja is a member of the Social Democratic Party of Finland, although his political views are thought to be more to the left than the party line. He is also a member of ATTAC... spoke of the growing frustration amongst Palestinians about the promise of a two-state solution. President Tarja Halonen Tarja Halonen Tarja Kaarina Halonen is the incumbent President of Finland. The first female to hold the office, Halonen had previously been a member of the parliament from 1979 to 2000 when she resigned after her election to the presidency... said that Finland might recognise the Palestinian state, and expressed hope for more support for the idea within the European Union. |
 Early Modern France |
No | President Nicholas Sarkozy claimed that despite a statehood approval may be premature right now, allowing Palestine's ascension to "observer member" status at least would be "an important step forward". | |
 Gabon |
Yes | ||
 The Gambia |
Yes | Supportive | In her address to the General Assembly, Vice President Isatou Njie-Saidy said: "The sad reality is that numerous United Nations resolutions continue to be flouted by Israel. The daily killing, collective punishment and humiliation of Palestinians are going on unabated. Denial of humanitarian assistance, essential medical supplies and construction materials to Palestinians has become the norm. To this end, my delegation not only supports but recognizes an independent and sovereign Palestinian State within the confines of the 1967 borders. An independent Palestinian state with full rights and privileges like any other is long overdue. This is the only guarantor of lasting peace in that region." |
 Georgia (country) |
Yes | Unknown | President Mikheil Saakashvili Mikheil Saakashvili Mikheil Saakashvili is a Georgian politician, the third and current President of Georgia and leader of the United National Movement Party.Involved in the national politics since 1995, Saakashvili became president on 25 January 2004 after President Eduard Shevardnadze resigned in a November 2003... said that although Palestine had the right to statehood, it should be resolved through negotiations. "We believe in negotiations and the position is very clear: this kind of things can only be settled when it takes two to do things. I hope there will be more and more incentives ... to get to some negotiated solution, because things should change for the people in reality not just on papers." |
 Germany |
No | Against | In April 2011, Chancellor Angela Merkel Angela Merkel Angela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a... labelled the Palestinian bid for admission a "unilateral step", and stated unequivocally that Germany will not recognise a Palestinian state without its prior acceptance by Israel. "Unilateral recognitions therefore definitely do not contribute to achieving this aim ... This is our stance now and it will be our stance in September. There needs to be mutual recognition, otherwise it is not a two-state solution". In his speech to the General Assembly in September, Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle Guido Westerwelle Guido Westerwelle [] is a German liberal politician, who, since 28 October 2009, has been serving as the Foreign Minister in the second cabinet of Chancellor Angela Merkel, and who was Vice Chancellor of Germany from 2009 to 2011. He is the first openly gay person to hold either of those positions... reiterated Germany's position that statehood "can only be achieved through negotiations". Germany reportedly accepted admitting the State of Palestine as an observer, a compromise decision proposed in order to find a common EU position. |
 Ghana |
Yes | Unknown | In August, Vice President John Dramani Mahama John Dramani Mahama John Dramani Mahama is a communication expert, historian, writer, former Member of Parliament and Minister of State, and Vice President of the Republic of Ghana.-Early years and education:... reportedly stressed to al-Malki that Ghana would make every effort to support the Palestinians' request at the United Nations. In his address to the General Assembly in September, however, President John Atta Mills did not mention the matter, and has not publicly confirmed Ghana's position. It was one of the states that voted in favour of approving Palestine's bid for membership in UNESCO. |
 Greece |
No | Supportive | Foreign Minister Stavros Lambrinidis Stavros Lambrinidis Stavros Lambrinidis is a former Vice President of the European Parliament and was between 17 June 2011 until 11 November 2011 the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece.-Yale University:... told the General Assembly that Greece fully supports the bid: "Greece supports unequivocally Palestine's right to statehood. It is now our responsibility, the responsibility of every member-state of the UN, to respect the Palestinian decision to request membership, and more importantly, to turn this into an opportunity that will jump-start anew direct negotiations." |
 Grenada |
No | Supportive | In a letter sent to Abbas, Prime Minister Tillman Thomas Tillman Thomas Tillman Joseph Thomas is a Grenadian politician, currently serving as Prime Minister of Grenada. He is also the leader of the National Democratic Congress .-Biography:... assured the PLO of Grenada's full support. "I am happy to indicate, Excellency, that Grenada supports Palestine’s application for full United Nations membership ... On behalf of the Government and people of Grenada, I wish you success at all levels with this initiative." Thomas noted that his government's stance was consistent with its approach to the idea of self-determination. |
 Guatemala |
No | ||
 Guinea |
Yes | ||
 Guinea-Bissau |
Yes | Supportive | In his speech to the General Assembly, Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Júnior Carlos Gomes Júnior Carlos Domingos Gomes Júnior is the Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau. He was previously Prime Minister from 10 May 2004 to 2 November 2005, and he was again appointed to that post on 25 December 2008... said "In our diplomatic efforts, we have to also be consistent with our historic commitments, and above all, faithful to all who selflessly helped us in the struggle for the affirmation of our dignity. From this perspective, we welcome the decision of the Palestinian Authority to submit the request for recognition of the State of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations." |
 Guyana |
Yes | Supportive | President Bharrat Jagdeo Bharrat Jagdeo Bharrat Jagdeo is a Guyanese politician who has been President of Guyana since 11 August 1999. Prior to his presidency he was Minister of Finance and became President after Janet Jagan resigned for health reasons; subsequently he won two elections, in 2001 and 2006.Jagdeo was born in Unity Village... said "Guyana supports the right of the Palestinian people to full statehood, and we urge the acceleration of the negotiations to achieve this." When asked whether Guyana would support the application, Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues Carolyn Rodrigues Carolyn Allison Rodrigues-Birkett is a Guyanese politician who has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs since April 2008.Rodrigues, an Amerindian, was born in Moruca, Barima-Waini Region... responded, "Of course Guyana will support the resolution. It is our moral obligation and we will not deviate from our long standing position." Jagdeo and his government reportedly lobbied intensively for Caribbean support for the bid. |
 Haiti |
No | ||
 Honduras |
Yes | Supportive | President Porfirio Lobo told the General Assembly, "My government has recognised Palestine as a state and identifies with their legitimate aspirations to become a full member in the community of nations. Full security for the State of Israel and total international recognition for Palestine are essential conditions for a negotiated and comprehensive solution that respects the formula of two states." |
 Hungary |
Yes | Supportive | |
 Iceland |
Yes | Supportive | Following a trip to Gaza Gaza Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,... in July 2011, Foreign Minister Össur Skarphéðinsson Össur Skarphéðinsson Össur Skarphéðinsson is an Icelandic politician who has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since February 2009.Össur matriculated from the Reykjavík Grammar School in 1973, and gained a BS in Biology from the University of Iceland in 1979, and a doctorate in physiology from the University of East... announced his country would support the resolution. "If it came to be at the United Nations General Assembly in September that a motion would be put forward by the nations supporting Palestinian independence and encouraging other nations to recognise Palestine as an independent nation with its 1967 borders, Iceland would support that. Likewise, if a proposition comes to the UN to include Palestine into the UN as a new nation ... Iceland would also support that." The minister reiterated his support in September. In his address to the General Assembly, Skarphéðinsson argued that by going to the United Nations, Palestine was doing the same as Israel did in 1947. He noted that Israel had taken its case to the United Nations and emerged with statehood, and claimed that Palestine deserved the same: "It is hypocrisy to suggest otherwise." He therefore confirmed that Iceland would vote "yes" when a resolution came to the General Assembly, and announced that his government would submit to the Althing Althing The Alþingi, anglicised variously as Althing or Althingi, is the national parliament of Iceland. The Althingi is the oldest parliamentary institution in the world still extant... a proposal for the recognition of the State of Palestine. |
 India |
Yes | Supportive | In a letter sent to President Abbas dated 22 August, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Manmohan Singh Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian... assured Palestine of India's full support in its endeavour: "India has been unwavering in its support of the cause of Palestinian peoples' struggle for sovereign, independent, viable and a United State of Palestine with east Jerusalem as its capital, living within secure and recognisable borders." The country's representative to the United Nations, Hardeep Singh Puri Hardeep Singh Puri Hardeep Singh Puri is a 1973 batch Indian Foreign Service officer who is the current Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations. He is also presently the chairman of the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee... , reiterated, "Let me be absolutely clear and assure you of India's full support for Palestine at the UN." In his speech to the General Assembly, Manmohan Singh confirmed his country's support and added, "We look forward to welcoming Palestine as an equal member of the United Nations." |
 Indonesia |
Yes | Supportive | Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa Marty Natalegawa Raden Mohammad Marty Muliana Natalegawa, more commonly known as Marty Natalegawa, is an Indonesian diplomat and the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Second United Indonesia Cabinet... announced that his country would support the application and lobbied other countries to do likewise: "We will seek any opportunity to ensure that Palestine's bid for UN membership, if that is what the Palestinians really want, gets international support." |
 Iran |
Yes | Against | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Ali Khamenei Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hoseyni Khāmene’i is the Supreme Leader of Iran and the figurative head of the Muslim conservative establishment in Iran and Twelver Shi'a marja... has condemned the application, saying "Any plan that seeks to divide Palestine is totally rejected." He added, "It goes without saying that the Palestinian people, as they did in Gaza, will create a state on any liberated Palestinian land. But the ultimate goal is to liberate all of Palestine from the Mediterranean to the Dead Sea." Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi Ali Akbar Salehi Ali Akbar Salehi is an Iranian politician, diplomat and academic and the current Minister of Foreign Affairs since 13 December 2010. Previous to his appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs, he was Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran from 16 July 2009 to 13 December 2010... stated that "Palestine is not divisible, and it cannot be divided into two parts as some are saying. Iran's official stance is that Palestine belongs to all Palestinians. Palestine belonged to Palestinians from the outset, and we do not approve of the breakup of Palestine." President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that recognition of a Palestinian state by the United Nations should only be a "step forward" towards "full liberation". He said the fate of Palestine should be determined in a referendum amongst indigenous Palestinians. |
 Iraq |
Yes | Supportive | President Jalal Talabani Jalal Talabani Jalal Talabani is the sixth and current President of Iraq, a leading Kurdish politician. He is the first non-Arab president of Iraq, although Abdul Kareem Qasim was half Kurdish.... supported and endorsed the request to achieve full international recognition for the State of Palestine and called on the international community to stand by the Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle. He said, "Iraq endorses and supports the direction of the Palestinian Authority to go to the United Nations to achieve full international recognition of a Palestinian state during the meeting of the current session of the General Assembly, and calls on the international community and all peace-loving forces to stand by the Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle to achieve its goals." |
 Republic of Ireland |
No | Supportive | In his speech to the General Assembly, Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore Eamon Gilmore Eamon Gilmore is an Irish Labour Party politician and the current Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has been the Leader of the Labour Party since September 2007, and a Teachta Dála for the Dún Laoghaire constituency since 1989, first with the Workers' Party of Ireland, and... stated: "The decision of President Abbas to seek Palestine's membership of the United Nations is entirely legitimate and understandable. Palestine has the same right to membership of the United Nations as Ireland or any other Member of this Organisation." The minister admitted, however, that the admission of Palestine would not change the situation on the ground. "It does not remove the compelling need for negotiations. Nor will it offer a legitimate excuse to avoid negotiations. ... What recognition of Palestinian statehood would do, however, would be to give dignity and support to the Palestinian people who have suffered for too long. It would also be a tangible demonstration of the commitment of the international community and the UN to an agreed settlement between two sovereign states. ... The day will come, not too far off, when the General Assembly will be asked to vote on a proposal to admit Palestine as a member of this Organisation or perhaps, as an interim step towards the achievement of that goal, to accord Palestine non-member observer state status. Provided that the resolution is drafted in terms that are reasonable and balanced, I expect Ireland to give its full support." |
 Israel |
No | Against | |
 Italy |
No | Against | Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi Silvio Berlusconi Silvio Berlusconi , also known as Il Cavaliere – from knighthood to the Order of Merit for Labour which he received in 1977 – is an Italian politician and businessman who served three terms as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006, and 2008 to 2011. Berlusconi is also the... said in May 2011 that Italy would not recognise a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood. At an event in Rome celebrating Israel's independence, Berlusconi praised Israel for being the only true democracy in the Middle East and pledged his country's support for Israelis in "difficult situations". "Italy has always stood by Israel, even within the framework of the EU when it opposed decisions that were unbalanced and unjust towards Israel." In June, he reiterated: "We do not believe that a unilateral solution can help peace, neither on the Palestinian side nor on the Israeli side. I believe peace can only be reached with a common initiative through negotiations." Italy reportedly accepted the compromise pushed by the EU to admit Palestine as an observer state. |
 Jamaica |
No | Unknown | Foreign Minister Kenneth Baugh Kenneth Baugh Dr. Kenneth Lee O'Neil Baugh is the foreign minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Jamaica. He serves in the Parliament of Jamaica, was a former general secretary and former chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party. In addition he had served Minister of Health before his current position. His wife is... spoke about an urgent resolution to the conflict, but did not mention Jamaica's position on the application: "Jamaica remains unwavering in its support for a just, lasting and comprehensive agreement that recognises the Palestinian State within the pre-1967 borders and guarantees the security of Israel. The focus now must be on ending the stalemate and reviving direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine. ... The door to peaceful negotiations will not be forever open; nor can there be a continuing delay to Palestine's assumption of its rightful place in the global community of states." |
 Japan |
No | ||
 Jordan |
Yes | Supportive | Voicing support for the application in his address to the General Assembly, King Abdullah II Abdullah II of Jordan Abdullah II ibn al-Hussein is the reigning King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He ascended the throne on 7 February 1999 after the death of his father King Hussein. King Abdullah, whose mother is Princess Muna al-Hussein, is a member of the Hashemite family... said: "We will continue to strongly support the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to statehood in fulfillment of their aspirations and in accordance with UN resolutions, and within a comprehensive and just settlement and the resolution of all final status issues. It is their right to seek it here, in the house of nations, the United Nations. This we must all support." |
 Kazakhstan |
Yes | Supportive | Kazakhstan, as president of the OIC for 2011, expressed its support for the Palestinian bid during a summit for the organisation held in Astana Astana Astana , formerly known as Akmola , Tselinograd and Akmolinsk , is the capital and second largest city of Kazakhstan, with an officially estimated population of 708,794 as of 1 August 2010... in June. In September, on the sidelines of the General Assembly, the ministers of the 57 OIC countries unanimously adopted a resolution in support of the bid. In his address, President Nursultan Nazarbayev Nursultan Nazarbayev Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev has served as the President of Kazakhstan since the nation received its independence in 1991, after the fall of the Soviet Union... said that the Palestinian state must be recognised for the sake of peace in the Middle East. "Kazakhstan supports the creation a Palestinian state," he said. "The Palestinian people who are as long-suffering as the people of Israel have been involved in negotiations for more than 50 years. It's impossible to achieve stable peace in the Middle East without an independent state of Palestine." |
 Kenya |
Yes | Supportive | Addressing the General Assembly, President Mwai Kibaki Mwai Kibaki Mwai Kibaki is the current and third President of the republic of Kenya.Kibaki was previously Vice President of Kenya for ten years from 1978–1988 and also held cabinet ministerial positions, including a widely acclaimed stint as Minister for Finance , Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for... said, "Kenya believes in the two-state solution where the territorial integrity of Palestine within the 1967 borders is upheld and the peace and security of Israel are both assured and guaranteed. It is therefore our hope that Palestine will be welcomed into the Community of Nations with full membership in the United Nations." |
 Kiribati |
No | ||
 North Korea |
Yes | Supportive | North Korea's permanent representative to the United Nations, Pak Kil-yon, called it "an obligation" of the international community to admit Palestine as a member state. "The DPRK, which recognised Palestine state in 1988, supports its UN admission and expresses its conviction that the aspirations of the Palestine people will be translated into a reality." |
 South Korea |
No | ||
 Kuwait |
Yes | Supportive | Speaking to the General Assembly, Prime Minister Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah said, "Here, we wish to renew our full commitment and support to the bid of the Palestinian Authority and its endeavours to obtain membership in the United Nations as an independent and full member state." |
 Kyrgyzstan |
Yes | Supportive | President Roza Otunbayeva Roza Otunbayeva Roza Isakovna Otunbayeva is a Kyrgyz diplomat and politican who served as the President of Kyrgyzstan from 7 April 2010 until 1 December 2011. She was sworn in on July 3, 2010, after acting as interim leader following the 2010 April revolution which led to the ousting of then President Kurmanbek... publicly gave support to Palestine's bid to be a member. In her address to the General Assembly, she said, "We have been waiting for too long to welcome Palestine as a full member of the United Nations! Kyrgyzstan as early as in 1995 recognised Palestine within the boundaries of the 1967, and we join the call of the UN Secretary-General for Israel and Palestine to return to the negotiating table." |
 Laos |
Yes | Supportive | In his speech to the General Assembly, Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith Thongloun Sisoulith Thongloun Sisoulith is a Deputy Prime Minister of Laos, as well as the current Foreign Minister. He became Deputy Prime Minister and President of the State Planning Committee on March 27, 2001, and subsequently he was appointed as Foreign Minister on June 8, 2006, replacing Somsavat Lengsavad... stated unequivocally, "The Lao PDR supports Palestine's application on 23rd September 2011 for full membership of the UN." |
 Latvia |
No | Unknown | President Andris Bērziņš Andris Bērziņš (Latvian President) Andris Bērziņš is a Latvian businessman and politician. He is the President of Latvia, having won the presidential election held on 2 June 2011.From 1993 to 2004, Bērziņš was the President of Unibanka.- Early career :... did not mention the application in his general address, but urged both sides to resume negotiations. Latvia was one of four states voting against Palestine's application to UNESCO. Its representative explained that Latvia believed the application to join the United Nations should be resolved first. "There is a logical sequence of events. ... We respect the application of Palestine for a full membership in the UN that subsequently would give Palestine the right to become a member of UNESCO. We believe this question should first be decided in New York, and the UN Security Council is examining it now." |
 Lebanon |
Yes | Supportive | President Michel Sleiman, whose nation is presiding over President of the United Nations Security Council The President of the United Nations Security Council is the presiding officer of that body. The president is the head of the delegation from the Security Council member state that holds the rotating presidency.-Selection:... the Security Council, supported the bid: "It is important to underscore the rightful Palestinian efforts aiming at earning the recognition of the state of Palestine and its full membership to the United Nations in line with the right of self-determination. Lebanon will back these efforts in order for the latter to succeed with the coordination and cooperation of brotherly and friendly countries." |
 Lesotho |
Yes | ||
 Liberia |
Yes | ||
 Libya |
Yes | ||
 Liechtenstein |
No | ||
 Lithuania |
No | ||
 Luxembourg |
No | Supportive | In response to divisions within the EU regarding the application, Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn Jean Asselborn Jean Asselborn is a Luxembourger politician. Since 31 July 2004, he has been the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration in the government led by Jean-Claude Juncker.... reportedly urged the PLO to accept an upgrade in its observer status and not ask for membership. He insisted, "We cannot let the Palestinians leave New York at the end of the month with nothing", but that he "cannot agree to say no" to the Palestinians' request. He noted that securing the support of all EU nations "would be an enormous moral advantage" for Palestine. In his address Asselborn stated: "We have all heard the vibrant appeal by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday. An appeal for the recognition of the legitimate right of his people to a State, for acceptance of the aspirations of Palestine to have a seat in this Assembly and to fully assume its place among the Nations of the world. I can only hope that his appeal be heard." |
 Republic of Macedonia |
No | ||
 Madagascar |
Yes | ||
 Malawi |
Yes | ||
 Malaysia |
Yes | Supportive | Upon arrival in New York, Foreign Minister Dato' Sri Anifah Aman Anifah Aman Dato' Sri Anifah bin Haji Aman is the current Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs. He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation , which is part of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition and a Member of Parliament representing Kimanis in Sabah... stated, "Malaysia has all along stood firm on the Palestine issue and its support for Palestine as a full member of the United Nations. ... If Palestine tables its application at this General Assembly, Malaysia will fully support it." He later confirmed this in his speech to the General Assembly: "We support the application of the Palestinians to the United Nations". |
 Maldives |
Yes | Supportive | Foreign Minister Ahmed Naseem expressed his country's support for the Palestinian request and called other nations to do the same: "When the Palestinians present their case to the UN, the Maldives will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them, and we call on all others to do likewise." The minister added, "We do not accept that UN recognition of Palestinian statehood would harm the chances of a negotiated peace. We believe rather that it will help those chances by creating a situation in which two state partners can negotiate as equals." In his speech to the General Assembly, Vice-President Mohammed Waheed Hassan Mohammed Waheed Hassan Dr. Mohammed Waheed Hassan is one of the leading political figures in The Republic of the Maldives and the current Vice President of Maldives, having been sworn into office on November 11, 2008 as the first ever elected Vice President... confirmed, "We believe that the time for Palestine to join the international family of nations is long overdue and welcome its application for statehood. The Maldives calls on all member states to support the recognition of a Palestinian state." |
 Mali |
Yes | Unknown | In her address, Prime Minister Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé is a Malian politician and the current incumbent prime minister of the country, the first woman to be appointed to the position in Mali's history. She was announced to the position by decree on 3 April 2011, replacing Modibo Sidibé.-Early career:Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé... did not explicitly mention the application, but did express her country's support for the Palestinian cause: "While reiterating its active solidarity and full support to the Palestinian people in their just and legitimate struggle, Mali will continue to support all initiatives aimed at creating an independent Palestinian state." |
 Malta |
Yes | Unknown | In early September, European diplomats reported that Malta was among several EU states supporting the Palestinians' request. This position was subsequently endorsed by opposition parties, but was not confirmed by the government, which refrained from discussing its voting intentions in compliance with the agreement between EU members made in hope of a common position emerging. This silence was criticised by shadow foreign minister George Vella George William Vella Vella, George , is a Maltese politician. He is currently Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives of Malta.- Political life :... , who said that a consensus was unlikely and argued that the government should publicly declare its support: "It's no secret that Malta has always been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. Being declaredly in favour of this resolution does not mean ignoring or being anti- Israel." Foreign Minister Tonio Borg Tonio Borg Tonio Borg is a Maltese politician who has been Deputy Prime Minister of Malta since 2004. He was Minister of Home Affairs from 1995 to 1996 and again from 1998 to 2008; since 2008, he has been Minister of Foreign Affairs... said that if indeed no common stance emerged once the matter had been brought to the General Assembly, Malta would declare its voting intentions. In his address to the assembly, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi Lawrence Gonzi Lawrence Gonzi is a Maltese politician who has been Prime Minister of Malta since 2004. He was Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malta from 1988 to 1996, Minister of Social Policy from 1998 to 1999, and Deputy Prime Minister from 1999 to 2004... did not mention the application, but noted that, "from an institutional perspective, the preparations for statehood have been successfully completed." Borg also endorsed the compromise initiative proposed by France to give Palestine observer state status, saying that if this was the consensus amongst EU members, Malta would support it. |
 Marshall Islands |
No | ||
 Mauritania |
Yes | Supportive | Foreign Minister Hamady Ould Hamady said his country supported the recovery of all the rights of the Palestinian people, and called for the recognition of Palestine as an independent state along the 1967 borders with full membership in the United Nations. |
 Mauritius |
Yes | Supportive | In his speech to the General Assembly, Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam Navin Ramgoolam Navinchandra Ramgoolam, GCSK, FRCP, MP is the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Minister of Defence, Home Affairs & External Communications, as well as Leader of the National Assembly. Being the leader of the Mauritian Labour Party, he serves as Member of parliament for constituency No... said: "Mauritius supports the application for full membership of the United Nations, submitted to the· Secretary General yesterday by the President of the State of Palestine and the legitimate aspiration of the Palestinian people to take their rightful place in the international comity of nations." |
 Mexico |
No | ||
| No | Against | President Emanuel Mori Manny Mori Emanuel "Manny" Mori is the current President of the Federated States of Micronesia. He was elected by the nation's Congress on May 11, 2007 and sworn in the same day.... said, "We continue to support Israel's right to live within secure and recognised borders. ... We also acknowledge Palestine's right to statehood, which can only be achieved through negotiated settlement between the two parties." He echoed U.S. President Barack Obama's statement in saying, "there are no shortcuts to solving the problem." |
|
 Moldova |
No | ||
 Monaco |
No | ||
 Mongolia |
Yes | ||
 Kingdom of Montenegro |
Yes | ||
 Morocco |
Yes | Supportive | Speaking to the General Assembly, Foreign Minister Taïb Fassi-Fihri stated: "It is time for the Organisation of the United Nations, through its various organs, and using all possible mechanisms, to fulfill its responsibilities to enable the Palestinian people, under the leadership of its national authority, to achieve all of its national legitimate rights." He concluded, "In this spirit, Morocco reiterates its support to the request by His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas, on behalf of the Palestinian leadership, of their adhesion to the United Nations as a sovereign State on the basis of the 1967 borders with eastern Jerusalem as its Capital." |
 Mozambique |
Yes | Unknown | President Armando Guebuza Armando Guebuza Armando Emílio Guebuza is a Mozambican politician and the President of Mozambique since 2005.- Career :Armando Emílio Guebuza was born in 20 January 1943 in Portuguese East Africa... said, "We reiterate our unequivocal support to the cause of the Palestinian people, who have been denied the inalienable right to self-determination." He did not specifically mention the application, which had not yet been submitted at the time of his address. |
 Myanmar |
No | ||
 Namibia |
Yes | Supportive | President Hifikepunye Pohamba Hifikepunye Pohamba Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba is the second and current President of Namibia. He won the 2004 and 2009 presidential elections overwhelmingly as the candidate of the South West Africa People's Organisation ruling party, taking office in March 2005. He has also been the President of SWAPO since... said: "I reaffirm our full and unequivocal support for the legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people to achieve their inalienable right to self-determination and national independence. Namibia supports the admission of Palestine into the United Nations as a full member." |
 Nauru |
No | ||
 Nepal |
Yes | Supportive | Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai Baburam Bhattarai Dr. Baburam Bhattarai is a Nepalese politician who became the 35th Prime Minister of Nepal in August 2011. He is a senior Standing Committee Member and vice chairperson of Unified Communist Party of Nepal . His party started a revolutionary People's War in Nepal in 1996 that ultimately led to the... told reporters in New York that Nepal will support Palestine's bid for membership if there is a voting at the General Assembly. In his address, Bhattarai said, "It is our principled position that we support a fully independent and sovereign Palestine State based on the UN resolutions." |
 Netherlands |
No | Against | |
 New Zealand |
No | ||
 Nicaragua |
Yes | Supportive | Foreign Minister Samuel Santos López Samuel Santos López Samuel Santos López is a Nicaraguan politician, currently the Minister of Foreign Affairs, appointed to the post on January 10, 2007... stated in his address: "Before this General Assembly, Nicaragua ratifies its recoguition of the Palestinian State with its 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital. We call for the proclamation, here and now, of Palestine as member State 194 of the UN." |
 Niger |
Yes | Supportive | President Mahamadou Issoufou Mahamadou Issoufou Mahamadou Issoufou is a Nigerien politician who has been President of Niger since 7 April 2011. Previously he was Prime Minister of Niger from 1993 to 1994 and President of the National Assembly from 1995 to 1996, and he has stood as a candidate in each presidential election since 1993.Issoufou... said: "The failure of [peace] negotiations has caused the Palestinian Authority to take measures for the recognition of the State of Palestine based on the 1967 borders on the one hand, and its admission as a full member of United Nations on the other. This is an opportunity for our organisation to take a bold decision to settle the Israeli–Palestinian conflict." He confirmed, "My country, one of the 122 UN member states that have already recognised the State of Palestine, is supporting the demand for statehood and full membership in the United Nations." |
 Nigeria |
Yes | Supportive | |
 Norway |
No | Supportive | Prior to the gathering in New York, Foreign Minister Jonas Støre confirmed that Norway will support the Palestinians' request for full membership. At a meeting in New York, Støre reiterated that Norway's support would depend on the official proposal: "The Palestinians must be willing to start negotiations on final status issues. The text must recognise Israel's right to exist and not delegitimise the State of Israel, either directly or indirectly." In his speech to the General Assembly, Støre's deputy Espen Barth Eide Espen Barth Eide Espen Barth Eide is Norway's Minister of Defense. He is a political scientist and a politician for the Labor Party.Eide went to high school at the Oslo Cathedral School, and graduated from the University of Oslo with the cand.polit. degree in 1993... said that these conditions had been met, and that Norway endorsed the application: "Both the Palestinian readiness for statehood and the declarations and commitments they have made should be acknowledged. Norway looks forward to welcoming Palestine as a full member of the United Nations." |
 Oman |
Yes | Supportive | Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, speaking to the General Assembly, said: "We believe that an establishment of Palestinian State on the borders of June 4, 1967 and the recognition of this State as a member of this organisation will certainly lead to serious negotiations and will reach a just, comprehensive and lasting solution of the Arab–Israeli conflict." |
 Pakistan |
Yes | Supportive | In her address to the General Assembly, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar Hina Rabbani Khar Hina Rabbani Khar is a Pakistani politician and the current Foreign Minister of Pakistan. Appointed in July of 2011, she is the first female and the youngest person to ever head Pakistani's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.... stated: "I would like to reaffirm our principled position. President Mahmoud Abbas made an historic and memorable case for his people. We stand by him and the Palestinian people. We stand by our brothers and sisters. And we agree: This really is not, sustainable, anymore. We support the quest of the State of Palestine for membership in the United Nations." |
 Palau |
No | ||
 Panama |
No | ||
 Papua New Guinea |
Yes | ||
 Paraguay |
Yes | Supportive | President Fernando Lugo Fernando Lugo Fernando Armindo Lugo Méndez is the current President of Paraguay and a former Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of San Pedro.-Early life:... reiterated his government's support in his address to the General Assembly: "We welcome the inclusion in the agenda of this 66th Session, the recognition of the State of Palestine as free, sovereign and independent, and we believe that this represents the consecration of an historic debt of the international community towards the legitimate right of the Palestinian people to have their own state with its borders properly defined." |
 Peru |
Yes | Supportive | During the General Assembly, Peruvian government officials said that their country endorses the Palestinians' application. In his speech, President Ollanta Humala Ollanta Humala Ollanta Moisés Humala Tasso is a Peruvian politician and the President of Peru. Humala, who previously served as an army officer, lost the presidential election in 2006 but won the 2011 presidential election in a run-off vote... expressed his support for the Palestinian people to live in peace and harmony as an independent state and United Nations member. |
 Philippines |
Yes | Supportive | The Philippine ambassador to Palestine said "it’s time for Palestine to fully exercise its rights and gain full membership in the United Nations," and said that the Philippines supports the establishing of a Palestinian state. |
 Poland |
Yes | ||
 Portugal |
No | Against | On the request for full membership for Palestine, Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho Pedro Passos Coelho Pedro Manuel Mamede Passos Coelho , is Prime Minister of Portugal. Passos Coelho started very early in politics, becoming the national leader of the youth branch of the Social Democratic Party... said that an agreement with Israel must be achieved first: "This step must be the result and logical outcome of negotiations. Therefore, we understand this request to be an expression of interest that will be fulfilled with the signing of a Peace Agreement." However, Coelho openly backed the call for an upgrade in Palestine's observer status: "Until then, we are open to support a strengthened status for Palestine in the United Nations. This would be an important step towards the creation of a new state. It would also represent an additional commitment by the Palestinians to the negotiation process, reinforcing the confidence needed to reach a definitive and global Peace Agreement." |
 Qatar |
Yes | Supportive | Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, whose nation is presiding over President of the United Nations General Assembly The President of the United Nations General Assembly is a position voted for by representatives in the United Nations General Assembly on a yearly basis.- Election :... this General Assembly session, delivered an address at its opening ceremony on 21 September in which he gave his support for the bid and urged fellow members to do the same: "We urge all the members of the UN to listen to the voice of right and respond to the Palestinians legitimate request for a Palestinian state with full memership at the organisation, at equal footing with other peoples in order to prepare the way for the realisation of peace in our region." At the beginning of the month it was reported that Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani style="float:right;"| Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber bin Muhammad Al Thani is a Qatari politician and the current Prime Minister of Qatar, a position he has held since 3 April 2007, and Foreign Minister, which he has been since 11 January 1992.-Life and education:Sheikh Hamad was born in Doha,... had been actively campaigning for the Palestinians' application. His government's efforts were hailed by Abbas and other Palestinian officials. |
 Kingdom of Romania |
Yes | Against | Prime Minister Emil Boc Emil Boc Emil Boc is the Prime Minister of Romania, having served since December 2008. In June 2004, he was elected Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, the largest city in Transylvania. Boc is also the president of the Democratic Liberal Party, who designated him as Prime Minister in 2008. On October 13, 2009, his... voiced his opposition to the bid in July, saying, "A negotiated solution between the parties, with no unilateral solution, is the only way to ensure real and solid grounds for a lasting peace." In an interview in mid-September, Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi Teodor Baconschi Teodor Baconschi , is a Romanian politician. He is the current Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania since December 2009.-Early years:Baconschi was born in Bucharest to the poet Anatol E. Baconsky and his wife Clara... said that Romania will abstain from voting if a resolution is put to the General Assembly. He also said that there was no consensus on the subject within the European Union, but that if one forms, Romania will comply. Romania was one of only four states to vote against the approval of Palestine's application to UNESCO. Baconschi explained that he believes UNESCO should not decide on a matter whilst it is under the analysis of the Security Council. He also reinforced his government's opposition to the application, saying, "Romania does not support unilateral initiatives." |
 Russia |
Yes | Supportive | President Dmitry Medvedev Dmitry Medvedev Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint... pledged his support for the bid in January 2011. It was reiterated by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the General Assembly in September. In response to a question regarding the prospect of a veto from the United States, Lavrov said that Russia would prefer to see the request resolved by means of consensus: "Russia has long ago recognised the State of Palestine, and we see no problem to support this bid. ... It's, of course, for the Palestinians to decide. We would prefer to see the issue resolved by consensus. There are also suggestions that they ask the UN General Assembly not for membership, but for an observer state status. But we cannot impose this or that decision on them." |
 Rwanda |
Yes | ||
 Saint Kitts and Nevis |
No | Unknown | |
 Saint Lucia |
No | ||
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
Yes | Supportive | In his address to the General Assembly, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves Ralph Gonsalves Ralph Everard Gonsalves , also known as "Comrade Ralph", is the fourth and current Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and leader of the Unity Labour Party . Gonsalves became Prime Minister after his party won a majority government in the 2001 general election... said: "Saint Vincent and the Grenadines echoes the relevant portions of yesterday's Group of 77 Ministerial Declaration, which welcomed the State of Palestine's application for full membership in the United Nations." |
 Samoa |
No | Unknown | Tentatively alluding to the matter in his address, Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sailele Malielegaoi Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi is a Samoan politician who has been Prime Minister of Samoa since 1998.-Biography:Born at Lepa, Samoa, Malielegaoi is an economist by profession... said: "It is our long-held conviction that an independent Palestinian nation taking its rightful place in our global family living side by side with a secure Israel is the only road to permanent peace. But while we all know that this is the sensible outcome that must be achieved, it will sadly remain elusive without a clear sense of commitment and willingness by both sides to negotiate in good faith. ... Solutions must be decided by the two parties and not imposed from outside." He did not touch upon the application itself. |
 San Marino |
No | ||
| Yes | |||
 Saudi Arabia |
Yes | Supportive | Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal blamed the Israeli government's settlement activities for the impasse in negotiations and called on member states to support the application in order to overcome this. He said, "As a result of the continued Israeli intransigence and disruption of the peace process, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia calls upon all member states of the United Nations to state of Palestine on the border of June 4, 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital, and to grant it full membership in the United Nations." |
 Senegal |
Yes | Supportive | In his address to the General Assembly, President Abdoulaye Wade Abdoulaye Wade Abdoulaye Wade is the third and current President of Senegal, in office since 2000. He is also the Secretary-General of the Senegalese Democratic Party and has led the party since it was founded in 1974... said that his country, as President of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People was founded in 1975 by resolution 3376 of the United Nations General Assembly... , supported the application for membership. He said: "Senegal reaffirms its support for Palestine and for the international recognition of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, co-existing peacefully with Israel, each within secure and internationally recognised borders. As required by the relevant resolutions of the United Nations, the Palestinian people have a place in this forum." |
 Serbia |
Yes | Undecided | President of Serbia Boris Tadic Boris Tadic Boris Tadić is the President of Serbia and leader of the Democratic Party. He was elected to a five-year term on 27 June 2004, and was sworn into office on 11 July. He was re-elected for a de facto second five-year term on 3 February 2008 and was sworn in on 15 February... stated in September 2011, that Serbia would decide after hearing the arguments of both sides. |
 Seychelles |
Yes | Supportive | In September, President James Michel James Michel Colonel James Alix Michel is a Seychellois politician who has been President of Seychelles since April 16, 2004. He previously served as Vice-President under his predecessor, France-Albert René, from 1996 to 2004... reportedly affirmed his country's full support for the Palestinian bid. Foreign Minister Jean-Paul Adam said that Seychelles will vote in favour of Palestine should a resolution be proposed, and that it will support all decisions that further the two-state solution. |
 Sierra Leone |
Yes | ||
 Singapore |
No | ||
 Slovakia |
Yes | ||
 Slovenia |
No | ||
 Solomon Islands |
No | Unknown | Prime Minister Danny Philip Danny Philip Danny Philip is a politician and diplomat from the Solomon Islands. He is the current Prime Minister, who came into office after the 2010 general election. He served as foreign minister from 1995 to 1996 and from July 2000 to June 2001... did not announce his government's position on the application, but noted that more than two-third of UN members had recognised Palestine as a state. |
 Somalia |
Yes | Supportive | Speaking to the General Assembly, Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali is a Somali economist and politician. He is the Prime Minister of Somalia.-Personal life:Ali is originally from the autonomous Puntland region in northeastern Somalia. He holds both Somali and American citizenship.... said, "We fully support the right of Palestine to become a full member of the Community of Nations," and that "the international community must support the peaceful and democratic aspirations of the people." |
 South Africa |
Yes | Supportive | President Jacob Zuma Jacob Zuma Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is the President of South Africa, elected by parliament following his party's victory in the 2009 general election.... threw his country's support behind the bid, stating: "The Palestinian Authority ... has stated its intention to seek UN membership for the State of Palestine. South Africa fully supports this position. It is a decisive step towards achieving lasting peace, economic cooperation and prosperity for the millions of people in the Middle East, and urge that it be viewed favourably." He added, "We are dealing with a people who don't have rights, and as a follow-up to UN human rights kind of condition and principle, I think they have to be given an opportunity because they have been blocked all the time." |
| No | |||
 Spain |
No | Supportive | During the leadup to September, Spain emerged as the most vocal proponent of the Palestinians within the European Union. In late July, Foreign Minister Trinidad Jiménez Trinidad Jiménez Trinidad Jiménez García-Herrera is a Spanish Socialist Workers' Party politician and is currently Spain's Foreign Affairs Minister.... said that Spain supported the bid, but that it would not determine its position until the proposal was made official. Jiménez confirmed Spain's support in August: "We are working with the idea that there is a majority in the EU that will support moving forward with the recognition of Palestine," adding, "There is a feeling that now is the moment to act, to give the Palestinians some hope that their state will become a reality." She said that if a vote takes place and no common European position has been reached, Spain would vote in favour. In her address to the General Assembly, it appeared that Spain had, officially, committed itself to the compromise proposal reached amongst EU members: "This session may be remembered as the one in which the General Assembly granted Palestine the status of non-member observer state." She added, "This new step could be conceived as a stage towards the legitimate objective of Palestine to become a member state of the United Nations. Effective, sustainable peace can only be achieved through negotiations between the parties. Spain believes that the Palestinians could find in this new status a stimulus for the prompt resumption of negotiations." |
 Sri Lanka |
Yes | Supportive | Foreign Minister Gamini Peiris G. L. Peiris Gamini Lakshman Peiris is a Sri Lankan politician and academic... affirmed his country's support for the Palestinians' intentions in August. In his address to the General Assembly in September, President Mahinda Rajapaksa Mahinda Rajapaksa Percy Mahendra "Mahinda" Rajapaksa ; ; born November 18, 1945) is the 6th and current President of Sri Lanka and Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. A lawyer by profession, Rajapaksa was first elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1970, and served as prime minister from April 6,... declared his disappointment that, despite repeated references by governments on the right of the Palestinian people to a state of their own, the international community had not been able to make that a reality. He called the application "a window of opportunity" and urged "decisive action rather than more discussion". |
 Sudan |
Yes | Supportive | In his address to the General Assembly, Foreign Minister Ali Ahmed Karti affirmed Sudan's support to the efforts of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state and to obtain a full membership at the United Nations. |
 Suriname |
Yes | Supportive | In his address to the General Assembly, President Dési Bouterse Dési Bouterse Desiré Delano "Dési" Bouterse is the 9th and current President of Suriname.As an army officer, he was the de facto leader of Suriname through most of the 1980s, serving as Chairman of the National Military Council... stated: "Suriname has answered to the plight of the Palestinian people and has taken the decision to recognise Palestine as a sovereign state, worthy of becoming a full-fledged member of this world organisation." |
 Swaziland |
Yes | Supportive | Foreign Minister Lutfo Dlamini Lutfo Dlamini Lutfo Ephraim Dlamini is a politician from Swaziland. He is married to Thelma Ncane Smith-Dlamini and has four children. Dlamini has been the foreign minister of Swaziland since taking over in October 2008. Prior to appointment as foreign minister, Dlamini was the Minister for Enterprise and... announced in June his government's support for full membership for the State of Palestine. |
 Sweden |
No | Unknown | Sweden upgraded its Palestinian delegation in Stockholm in early September, a decision that legislators speculated had implied Sweden's voting intentions. Considered one of the most pro-Palestinian states within the EU, Sweden was widely reported by diplomats to be in favour of the bid. However, the government has not officially announced a position, and Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt Fredrik Reinfeldt John Fredrik Reinfeldt is the Prime Minister of Sweden, leader of the liberal conservative Moderate Party and former President of the European Council... did not mention the matter in his address to the General Assembly. |
 Switzerland |
No | ||
 Syria |
Yes | Supportive | In his speech, Foreign Minister Walid Muallem Walid Muallem Walid al Muallem is the current Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates for Syria, and a long-time diplomat for that country.-Early life, education and career:... emphathised with the Palestinians and called on member states to support their request: "Negotiations between the two sides have continued for years. They have failed though to achieve any progress towards a solution due to Israeli well-known positions and measures. Therefore, the international community's pursuit of the recognition of Palestinian statehood on the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967 is legitimate. It is a positive step in the direction of restoring all the Palestinian rights. Syria calls on the international community to support this request." |
 Tajikistan |
Yes | Supportive | Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi conveyed Tajikistan's endorsement of the bid in his speech to the General Assembly, saying, "We support the state of Palestine in its efforts to take its well-deserved place in the community of nations as a full-fledged member." |
 Tanzania |
Yes | Supportive | In October, Foreign Minister Bernard Membe Bernard Membe Bernard Kamillius Membe is a Tanzanian politician, currently serving as the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation. Membe was appointed to the job by President Jakaya Kikwete in January 2007 after the previous Foreign Minister, Asha-Rose Migiro, left for the job of United... affirmed that his country would give everything required to support Palestine in gaining membership within the United Nations and any other international organisation. Tanzania was one of the states that voted to approve the Palestinians' application to UNESCO. |
 Thailand |
No | Supportive | |
 Togo |
Yes | ||
 Tonga |
No | ||
 Trinidad and Tobago |
No | ||
 Tunisia |
Yes | Supportive | Speaking to the General Assembly, Foreign Minister Mouldi Kefi Mouldi Kefi Mohamed Mouldi Kefi is the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tunisia and a retired diplomat. He is married and has four children.... announced: "Tunisia strongly supports the Palestinian bid for United Nations recognition as expressed by the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, last week before the General Assembly, and calls on the international community to support the legitimate Palestinian bid for a full membership in the United Nations." |
 Turkey |
Yes | Supportive | Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Recep Tayyip Erdogan Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been Prime Minister of Turkey since 2003 and is chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party , which holds a majority of the seats in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Erdoğan served as Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. He graduated in 1981 from Marmara... argued that "The most important step that needs to be taken ... is to meet the legitimate demands of the Palestinian people for being recognised as a state and to allow the representatives of the State of Palestine to take their well-deserved place in this august Assembly, as a member of the UN. Turkey's support to the recognition of the State of Palestine is unconditional." He announced that Turkey would actively campaign for international recognition for the Palestinian state. |
 Turkmenistan |
Yes | ||
 Tuvalu |
No | ||
 Uganda |
Yes | ||
 Ukraine |
Yes | On 23 September 2011 a Foreign Ministry spokesman stated that Ukraine had not yet defined its position regarding Palestine's UN membership and added that "Ukraine supports Palestine's efforts for self-determination and independence". | |
 United Arab Emirates |
Yes | Supportive | In his address to the General Assembly, Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said: "The UAE also supports the Palestinian Authority's current attempts, which are backed by member countries of the League of Arab States and the UN Members, to gain international recognition of the independent Palestinian state in accordance with relevant international resolutions, the road map, and the Arab Peace Initiative, and also supports Palestine's quest for full membership in the United Nations. The UAE regards this legal step as complimenting the pillars required for the establishment of the Palestinian State, and does not contradict the efforts of resuming peace talks." |
 United Kingdom |
No | ||
 United States |
No | Against | In September, President Barack Obama Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in... confirmed that the U.S. would veto any Security Council move aimed at recognising Palestinian statehood. A spokesman for the government stated, "We would have to oppose any action at the UN Security Council including, if necessary, vetoing." Obama stated it needs more than a UN voting to solve the conflict without a mutual agreement between the Israeli and Palestinian authorities. Speaking to the General Assembly, he argued, "There is no shortcut to the end of a conflict that has endured for decades. Peace will not come through statements and resolutions at the United Nations ... Ultimately, it is the Israelis and the Palestinians – not us – who must reach agreement on the issues that divide them." |
 Uruguay |
Yes | Supportive | In his speech to the General Assembly, Foreign Minister Danilo Astori Danilo Astori Danilo Astori is a Uruguayan social democratic politician who was the Minister of Economics and Finance of Uruguay from 2005 to 2008... said: "In March we recognised the State of Palestine. We believe that all necessary conditions exist for this recognition to become universal and that the two-state solution, supported by Uruguay since 1947, to become effective." |
 Uzbekistan |
Yes | ||
 Vanuatu |
Yes | ||
 Venezuela |
Yes | Supportive | In a letter addressed to Ban Ki-moon dated 17 September, President Hugo Chavez Hugo Chávez Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela... pledged "Venezuela's full support of the recognition of the Palestinian State: of Palestine's right to become a free, sovereign and independent state. This represents an act of historic justice towards a people who carry with them, from time immemorial, all the pain and suffering of the world." At the General Assembly, Foreign Minister Nicolás Maduro Nicolás Maduro Nicolás Maduro Moros is a Venezuelan politician who was appointed foreign minister by President Hugo Chávez on 9 August 2006.- Biography :... said, "Venezuela hereby ratifies its unconditional solidarity with the Palestinian people and its unrestricted support to the Palestinian national cause, which naturally includes the immediate admission of a full Palestinian member state within the United Nations." |
 Vietnam |
Yes | Supportive | On 20 September, the spokesman for the Foreign Ministry stated, "Vietnam has recognised the state of Palestine since 1988 and always supports regional and international efforts towards the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state that co-exists peacefully with neighbouring Israel with their border line set up before June, 1967. In that spirit, Vietnam supports Palestine's efforts to soon become a member of the United Nations." This position was reiterated in its address to the General Assembly. |
 Yemen |
Yes | ||
 Zambia |
Yes | ||
 Zimbabwe |
Yes | Supportive | In his address to the General Assembly on 22 September, President Robert Mugabe Robert Mugabe Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980... said, "My country fully supports the right of the gallant people of Palestine to statehood and membership of this UN organisation." |
Implications
- The most significant potential consequence of any United Nations resolution granting Palestine member or observer status as a State is the access it gives the Palestinians to international courtInternational courtInternational courts are formed by treaties between nations, or under the authority of an international organization such as the United Nations — this includes ad hoc tribunals and permanent institutions, but excludes any courts arising purely under national authority.Early examples of...
s. Israel has said this would allow Palestine to pursue legal proceedings against Israel over the ongoing settlement expansion in Palestinian territory, its blockade of the Gaza strip, or the occupation in general. However, Israel could also open cases against Palestine. - Some scholars have warned of consequences for the rights of Palestinian refugees. Palestinians are regarded internationally as a stateless nation under occupation, and are therefore afforded special rights in many countries. Some critics have argued that a resolution recognising Palestinian statehood would void this status.
- The proposed resolution will not directly impact the situation on the ground. The Palestinian leadership has conceded that negotiations with Israel will be essential to ending the occupation.
- Both sides have warned that the outcome might fuel violence.
- Israeli officials have suggested a variety of possible measures should a resolution go ahead, such as restricting travel privileges for Palestinian leaders, withholding the transfer of tax revenues to the PNA, and annexing settlement blocs in the West Bank in an attempt to circumvent ICC legal action.
- Foreign Minister Saeb ErekatSaeb ErekatSaeb Muhammad Salih Erekat Saeb Muhammad Salih Erekat Saeb Muhammad Salih Erekat (also Erakat; Ṣāʼib ʻUrayqāt or ʻRēqāt, born April 28, 1955 in Jordanian controlled East Jerusalem was the Palestinian chief of the PLO Steering and Monitoring Committee until 12 February 2011...
rejected the claim that this would be another declaration of statehood, saying, "We are not going [to the UN] for a unilateral declaration of the Palestinian state. We declared our state in 1988 and we have embassies in more than 130 countries and more countries are recognising our state on the 1967 borders. The recognition of the Palestinian state is a sovereignty decision by the countries and it doesn't need to happen through the UN." President Abbas said that the State of Palestine was already in existence and that the current battle is to have the state's border recognised. In Salam Fayyad's plan for Palestinian statehood, the 1988 declaration is cited four times, identifying it as having articulated "the foundations of the Palestinian state".
See also
- List of United Nations resolutions concerning Israel
- Proposals for a Palestinian stateProposals for a Palestinian stateProposals for a Palestinian state currently refers to the proposed establishment of an independent state for the Palestinian people in Palestine on land that was occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967 and before by Egypt and by Jordan since 1949...