The US may stop funding the UN if Palestine becomes a member

Israelʼs ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, said that if a resolution granting Palestine full UN membership is passed, the US is likely to "completely cut off funding to the UN and its institutions in accordance with US law."

This is reported by Reuters.

Under US law, Washington cannot fund UN agencies that grant full membership to any group that does not have "internationally recognized attributes" of statehood. In 2011, the US stopped funding the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) after the Palestinians became full members.

According to the spokesman of the US mission to the UN, Nate Evans, the US continues to hold the view that the way to recognize Palestine as a state lies through direct negotiations.

"We are aware of the resolution and reiterate our concern about any attempt to grant certain concessions to entities where there are outstanding questions as to whether Palestine meets the criteria of the Charter," he said.

The UN General Assembly may vote on Friday on a draft resolution recognizing Palestineʼs right to UN membership. After that, the General Assembly will recommend that the UN Security Council "favorably reconsider this issue."

Diplomats say the General Assembly is more likely to support Palestineʼs bid for UN membership. But the draft resolution could still be amended, as some diplomats are unhappy with its current text, which gives the Palestinians additional rights and privileges in addition to full membership.

What preceded

Palestine has been asking for membership in the UN since 2011 — that year, in November, the application for acceptance of autonomy into the Organization was rejected due to the position of the Security Council.

In 2012, the UN, despite resistance from the US, granted the Palestinians observer status — at that time, 138 member states supported this decision, and 9 opposed it (including the US). Another 41 delegations abstained. This status allows Palestine to participate in all meetings of the Organization, but it does not have the right to vote in the main bodies of the United Nations.

On April 2, 2024, Palestine sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General asking him to reconsider its 2011 application to join the UN.

Palestine is asking for a reconsideration of UN membership now that more than half a year has passed since the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East and Israel is increasing its presence in the occupied West Bank.

On April 19, 2024, the United States vetoed a draft resolution of the UN Security Council, which recommended that the General Assembly grant Palestine full membership in the Organization.

In order for an application for UN membership to be accepted for consideration, it is necessary that it be supported by at least nine of the 15 members of the UN Security Council and none of the five permanent members of the Security Council — the United States, China, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom — exercise their veto power. If this condition is met, the statement is submitted to a vote of the UN General Assembly, where it must be supported by at least two-thirds of the members.

The war between Israel and Palestine

The escalation of the conflict in the Middle East has been ongoing since October 7, 2023, since the militants of the Islamist group Hamas launched a massive rocket attack on the southern and central regions of Israel, invaded the countryʼs territory, killed hundreds of civilians and took hostages.

In response, Israel launched a counter-terrorist operation, and then a ground operation in the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israelʼs military goals are clear — "the destruction of the military and management potential of Hamas and the return of the hostages home." At the beginning of December 2023, Israel expanded the military operation to the entire territory of the Gaza Strip.