This Thursday, the Security Council rejected the Palestinian Authority's request to become a full member of the UN after a US veto. 12 votes were cast in favor of the proposed resolution.
Switzerland and the UK did not agree to a text sent to the General Assembly asking the 193 members to hold a referendum on granting UN full member status.
No veto from the five permanent members
The draft resolution, the shortest in the organization's history, calls for the Security Council to “examine the request of the State of Palestine for admission to the United Nations (S/2011/592) and recommend to the General Assembly that Palestine be admitted as a member of the United Nations.”
For a draft resolution to pass, the council must gather at least nine votes in favor and no veto from the permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The Palestinian request was submitted to the Secretary-General on 2 April, following a request to accept member state status in 2011.
That year, the Security Council debated the issue, but could not reach a consensus on sending a recommendation to the General Assembly.
Permanent Observer to the UN
Earlier this month, the council sent the latest request to its member state accession committee, which discussed the matter between April 8 and 11.
After being an observer at the General Assembly, the State of Palestine has had permanent observer status at the UN since 2012.
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