Palestinians To Relaunch Bid For Upgraded UN Status In September

Reuters and Israel Hayom Staff – “The Palestinians will renew their bid to upgrade their status at the United Nations next month, their foreign minister said on Saturday, a move which could strengthen their statehood claims as talks with Israel remain stalled.

Palestinians are listed as a U.N. observer ‘entity’ with no voting rights. They will ask to be made a non-member observer state at the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 27, Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki told reporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Such status, akin to the Vatican’s, would be an indirect recognition of their claims on statehood in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. It would allow them to join a number of U.N. agencies, as well as the International Criminal Court.

Malki said President Mahmoud Abbas would make the status request in a speech and the Palestinians would then lobby for support among U.N. member states, many of which are sympathetic to the campaign and regard the West Bank settlements as illegal.

‘When we are sure we have won absolute support from the largest possible number of states, we will be ready to request that the General Assembly vote on such a draft resolution,’ Malki said.

Israel’s ambassador to the U.N., Ron Prosor told Israel Radio on Sunday morning the Palestinians have a ‘guaranteed majority’ in the 193-member General Assembly — enough to bestow non-member observer status, which the envoy predicted would be used ‘to hurt us [Israel]’ in various international forums.” Read more.