'Unjustifiable': Condemnations Pour In after US Veto of Palestine's UN Membership
The veto by Israel’s main ally and military backer had been expected ahead of the vote, which took place more than six months into Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
Twelve countries had voted in favour of the draft resolution supporting Palestine, which was introduced by Algeria, and had recommended “to the General Assembly that the State of Palestine be admitted to membership of the United Nations”.
The UK and Switzerland abstained from the vote.
‘Blatant aggression’
Palestinian Authority (PA) leader Mahmoud Abbas’s office has called the US veto of full UN membership for Palestine “a blatant aggression … which pushes the region ever further to the edge of the abyss.”
“The fact that this resolution did not pass will not break our will, and it will not defeat our determination,” Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, said following the vote, the AFP news agency reports.
“We will not stop in our effort. The state of Palestine is inevitable. It is real,” he said.
“Please remember that once this session adjourns, in Palestine, there are innocents paying the price with their lives … for the delay in justice, freedom and peace,” he added.
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Amar Bendjama, UN ambassador for Algeria, the country which introduced the draft resolution recommending Palestinian membership to the UN General Assembly, said that “overwhelming” support for Palestine “sends a crystal clear message” that the Palestinians belong as a full UN member state and that their supporters “will return stronger and more vocal”.
Hamas has also slammed the US move. “Hamas condemns the American veto at the Security Council of the draft resolution granting Palestine full membership in the United Nations,” it said in a statement.
The veto comes as the Israeli aggression on the besieged Gaza Strip has killed nearly 34,000 people, mostly women and children.
Source: Agencies
