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The Palestinian Authority’s foreign minister admits: We don't have enough votes to be recognized as a state in the UN.
PA Statehood Bid UNSC Riad Malki
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas Israel news photo: Flash 90
The Palestinian Authority’s foreign minister admitted on Tuesday that the entity does not have enough support in the UN Security Council for recognition of a Palestinian state.
Foreign Minister Riad Malki told The Associated Press, “It is clear now, with the U.S. counter effort and intervention, that we are not going to have these nine votes.”
It was the first time since PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas submitted his statehood bid to the Security Council in September that a PA official has admitted that the move will fail.
Last week it was reported that France, Britain and Colombia all intend to abstain in the vote.
Diplomats were quoted as having said that due to this, “there is no way the Palestinians could get the nine votes they need to get it passed.” On Tuesday, AFP reported that Germany has not yet announced its stance but is expected to abstain or vote no. Portugal and Bosnia are expected to abstain as well.
Meanwhile, the sub-committee that was appointed to further examine the unilateral statehood bid has said that the Security Council is “deadlocked” on whether to accept or reject Palestine as a member of the United Nations.
According to a draft report of the key committee obtained Tuesday by AFP, “The committee was unable to make a unanimous recommendation to the Security Council.”
The draft report avoids saying which countries support or opposes the bid but notes that “differing views were expressed.”
The membership committee will meet on Friday, at which point it must decide what action to take on the PA’s demand.
Even if the PA achieves a majority in a vote in the Security Council, the decision will fall through in any case, since the United States has announced on several occasions that it would use its veto power in the Security Council to block the motion.