As an overwhelming number of countries have voiced support for Palestine’s bid to become a full member of the United Nations, the onus is now on world superpowers to work toward achieving a two-state solution and bring lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis, experts said.
Even if a resolution to grant the State of Palestine full UN membership is passed, they said, there is still need for the two-state solution where an independent Palestinian state would exist side by side with Israel.
The UN General Assembly on May 10 adopted a historic resolution, which saw 143 votes in favor of supporting the Palestinian bid to become a full UN member, with nine voting against, including the US and Israel, and 25 members abstaining including the United Kingdom. Stating that Palestine is qualified for UN membership, the resolution recommended that the Security Council “reconsider the matter favorably".
Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, confirmed that Spain, Ireland and other like-minded EU member states could recognize the State of Palestine later in May
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Hussein Maklad, professor of international relations at Damascus University in Syria, told China Daily that the United States “rewarded Israeli terrorism and massacres in Gaza” by objecting to a draft resolution before the council that recommended “the State of Palestine be admitted to membership of the UN”.
He was referring to the US’ veto at the UN Security Council on April 18.
Palestine last submitted an application to become a full UN Member State in 2011 but it did not receive enough support. It instead obtained the status of a non-member observer state in November 2012.
The US Mission to the United Nations said of their “against” vote on May 10 that it “did not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood”, but was an acknowledgement that statehood will come only from a process that involves direct negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians.
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But Maklad said the Palestinian-Israeli conflict “has never been one just between Zionism and Israel on one side and the Palestinians on the other”, but always involved the “massive intervention of the greatest powers on the side of the Zionist movement and Israel — Britain until the Second World War, and the US and others since then”.
“These great powers, especially US and the United Kingdom were never neutral or honest brokers, but have always been active participants in this war in support of Israel,” said Maklad.
“If the resolution to grant a State of Palestine full United Nations membership is passed, this doesn’t mean a solution (to the) Palestinian cause. The solution should be based on the two-state solution, which entails the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, within the June 4, 1967 boundaries,” he added.
In recent weeks, some countries have formally announced their recognition of Palestine as a state. The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago did so on May 7 and May 4, respectively.
Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, confirmed that Spain, Ireland and other like-minded EU member states could recognize the State of Palestine later in May, according to a Euronews report on May 10.
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Ayman Yousef, a professor of international relations at the Arab American University in Jenin in the West Bank, told China Daily that many European countries, including members of the European Union, are prepared to admit and recognize the State of Palestine within the UN and as “an independent and sovereign state” in order to push for a two-state solution.
“Many EU countries are in favor of this solution or paradigm. They think other options and other alternatives, including one-state solution are not feasible, are not practical on the ground,” said Yousef.
Hassan Ben Imran, director at Law for Palestine, a non-profit human rights organization, noted that Israel, which is facing cases against its leaders, soldiers, and state before several courts, “is losing legitimacy worldwide”
Hassan Ben Imran, director at Law for Palestine, a non-profit human rights organization, noted that Israel, which is facing cases against its leaders, soldiers, and state before several courts, “is losing legitimacy worldwide”.
“What’s happening right now is a slow and gradual isolation process of Israel, as a Pariah state,” said Imran, adding that Israel’s allies could be feeling that Israel or its current government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “are a burden on them”.
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“If Palestinian … (deaths) do not count for those leaders, the internal pressure, losing votes (and) facing lawsuits would probably count,” said Imran.
At the UN level, he said the “apparent failure to act to stop the (Gaza) genocide”, together with the realization of the impossibility of coming to terms with the Israeli leadership is leading many to advance Palestinian statehood as “a way to add further pressure on Israel and establish facts on the ground that would have to be taken into consideration in any political process”.
Jasim Husain, a Gulf analyst and former member of Bahrain's parliament, said any normalization with Israel should “include recognition, and a clear path, for the state of Palestine”.
“Give and take, Israel should offer something in return and definitely, the best thing is to have a two-state solution,” said Husain.
