The United States vetoed a draft resolution in the United Nations Security Council that sought to grant full U.N. membership to Palestine. This move by the U.S. halted the Palestinian push for recognition, which came amid a conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and Israel's expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The draft resolution recommended that "the State of Palestine be admitted to membership" of the U.N. Twelve council members voted in favor, while Britain and Switzerland abstained.
Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood explained the veto as a support for a two-state solution, emphasizing that Palestinian statehood should result from direct negotiations between the parties.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas criticized the U.S. veto as "unfair, unethical, and unjustified," while Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour affirmed that the resolution's failure would not deter their determination.
Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz praised the U.S. veto, and Israel's U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan expressed disappointment in the council members who voted in favor, suggesting that it would hinder peace efforts.
The Palestinians currently hold non-member observer state status at the U.N., granted in 2012. Full U.N. membership requires approval from the Security Council and two-thirds of the General Assembly.
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