Palestine, the UN, and international law

"Membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving states," notes the UN Charter. The admission depends on "a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council", the Charter continues. The conditions sound feasible, but for Palestine the reality of international politics has been blocking its way into the world institution for decades.

Fearing a delegitimisation of Israel, the Obama administration has already indicated it will veto a decision of the Security Council to grant Palestine statehood. The US still hopes for a prior comprehensive peace agreement. An open debate on the Middle East is scheduled in the Security Council for July 26. From the angle of international law, it will be hard not to grant UN membership to Palestine”