The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) president has referred the Palestinian Authority’s application to become a full member of the world body (UN) to the committee on the admission of new members.
- According to the Palestinian UN envoy, this is only the second time that Palestine has been able to get this far in their bid for full UN membership. The last time was in 2011 when it essentially failed in the Security Council standing committee due to a threat by the US to veto it if it ever came to a vote.
UN Membership Process
- Any State which desires to become a Member of the United Nations shall submit an application to the Secretary-General.
- Such application shall contain a declaration, made in a formal instrument, that the State in question accepts the obligations contained in the Charter.
- For any country to become a full member of the UN, the international body’s charter says the country’s membership first has to be approved by the Security Council and then it would need to get the support of two-thirds of the 190 members of the UN General Assembly.
Non-member States
- Palestine is a non-member observer State of the UN, the same status as held by the Holy See.
- Non-member States having received a standing invitation to participate as observers in the sessions and the work of the General Assembly and maintaining permanent observer missions to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
- Non-Member States of the United Nations, which are members of one or more specialized agencies, can apply for the status of Permanent Observer.
- The status of a Permanent Observer is based purely on practice, and there are no provisions for it in the United Nations Charter.
