The United Nations Security Council president on Monday referred the Palestinian Authority's application to become a full member of the world body to the committee on the admission of new member, Reuters reported.
The committee that weighs membership applications will meet again Thursday, said Malta’s UN Ambassador Vanessa Frazier, the current Security Council president, according to The Associated Press.
Riyad Mansour, the PA’s UN envoy, said last week that the PA is seeking a UN Security Council vote on April 18 on a motion to make it a full member of the UN.
An application to become a full UN member needs to be approved by the 15-member UN Security Council - where the United States can cast a veto - and then at least two-thirds of the 193-member General Assembly.
Asked later if the US would use its Security Council veto to block the PA’s bid, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller replied, "I'm not going to speculate about what may happen down the road."
He added, however, that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel "is something that should be done through direct negotiations between the parties - it's something we are pursuing at this time - and not at the United Nations."
Mansour was unfazed, however, and said he would move ahead with the move. He said that 140 countries recognize “the state of Palestine”, and “we believe it is high time now for our state to become a full member at the United Nations.”
In November of 2012, the United Nations passed a resolution recognizing “Palestine” as a non-member observer state.
Since that time, the PA has several times said it will aim for full membership in the UN.
The US in 2022 urged the PA not to pursue a vote at the UN Security Council on gaining full UN membership, stressing it will likely veto any such move.