November 9, 2011
UN report: No consensus on Palestinian statehood bid
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Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, center, and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, left attend prayers for Eid al-Adha in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Nov. 6. Photo by REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman
The United Nations Security Council could not arrive at a consensus on the Palestinians’ statehood bid, a draft report from the panel reportedly says.
The four-page report by the committee on admitting new member states sent Tuesday to all 15 Security members said, according to Reuters, that the committee cannot make a unanimous recommendation to the Security Council. Reuters said it obtained a copy of the report.
The members are divided into those that support the bid, those who are abstaining because they cannot support it at this time, and those who oppose it on the basis of the application not meeting the appropriate criteria.
It is believed that the Palestinians do not have they nine votes they need in order to have the application approved. The United States has threatened to use its veto should the Palestinians get enough votes.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas applied to the United Nations for full membership for the state of Palestine on Sept. 23.
The Security Council is scheduled to debate the report on Friday, when the report is formally presented.
