欧美文化:U.S. votes against Palestinian request for full UN membership at Security Council

UNITED NATIONS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Thursday voted against a Palestinian request for full UN membership at the Security Council.

The 15-member council voted on a draft resolution that recommends to the 193-member UN General Assembly that "the State of Palestine be admitted to membership of the United Nations."

The draft resolution received 12 votes in favor, two abstentions, and one vote against.

A council resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, Britain, France, Russia or China to pass. The United States was compelled to use its veto power after the draft secured 12 votes in favor.

The Palestinian mission to the United Nations initially requested full UN member state status in 2011. Their first attempt failed because they did not receive the necessary minimum support of nine out of the 15 members of the Security Council.

Following their initial setback, the Palestinians approached the UN General Assembly where, in November 2012, they successfully achieved an upgrade of their status from "UN observer" to "non-member observer state" by securing more than a two-thirds majority vote. This elevation in status enabled the Palestinian territories to join various UN and international organizations, such as the International Criminal Court.

Earlier this month, Palestine's renewed request for full member state status at the United Nations was evaluated by the UN Committee on the Admission of New Members. This revival of their membership bid in early April was supported by the 140 countries that recognize Palestine as an independent state.

On Thursday, Ziad Abu Amr, the special representative of the Palestinian president, addressed the Security Council, stating that adopting the resolution would provide the Palestinian people with hope for "a decent life within an independent state."

He said such "hope has dissipated over the past years because of the intransigence of the Israeli government that has rejected this solution publicly and blatantly, especially following the destructive war against the Gaza Strip."