US is a ‘dishonest broker’ for Palestinians

The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution, moved by the UAE a few days ago , to recognize a Palestinian state.

However, for a country to be officially recognized by the UN, the Security Council must make a decision on the matter.

This resolution serves as a primary step in that direction, but it is certain to face a significant hurdle: the United States, Israel’s chief patron, has already stated it will use its veto power to block the resolution.

Thus, the passage of the General Assembly resolution holds mainly symbolic significance. Nevertheless, it illustrates prevailing world opinion, with 143 countries voting in favour, 25 abstaining, and only nine, including the United States and Israel, voting against it.

Since 2012, Palestine has held observer status. A resolution to grant full membership status requires the support of nine of the 15 Security Council members, without a veto from any of the five permanent members: the United States, Russia, China, France, and Britain.

Friday’s vote, however, will enable Palestine to participate in UN discussions like other members, propose agenda items, and nominate its representatives to committees.

Not surprisingly, Israel strongly criticized the General Assembly’s decision, with responses echoing the language of the ongoing conflict. Both Israel and the United States do not accept Palestinian statehood under current conditions.

The United States was a key supporter when Israel was established through the Zionist movement by invading Palestinian land. Since its founding in 1948, Israel has relied heavily on US support.

The recent evictions in Gaza, carried out under the pretext of locating Hamas members, have not only received U.S. endorsement but also substantial military and financial backing.

Historically, the U.S. has used its veto power in the UN to protect Israel, with 42 out of its 85 vetoes serving this purpose. In 2018, the U.S. was the first permanent member of the Security Council to approve the move of Israel’s capital from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and to recognize the Golan Heights as Israeli territory.

Despite issuing warnings to Israel, Washington continues to provide funds and arms, supporting Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The US maintains that the formation of a Palestinian state should come through a bilateral agreement between Israel and Palestine, not via a UN resolution.

While outwardly supporting a two-state solution, the US vetoes UN resolutions on the grounds that such issues should be resolved through direct negotiations.

In numerous negotiation rounds, often under US auspices, Israel has repeatedly backed out at critical moments, citing various obstacles.

Typically, these breakdowns are attributed to disagreements over the Palestinian side’s recognition of Israel. It is often overlooked that Israel has been the primary barrier to establishing peace in West Asia through a twostate solution.

The Zionist state does not recognize UN resolutions or agreements initiated by the UN or the US It is within this context that armed resistance groups like Hamas join the conflict, understanding that Israel responds only to military force.

Critics of Hamas must recognize this context and dispel the illusion that the Israeli-Palestinian region was peaceful before October 7.

They must also acknowledge the role of the US veto, which undermines its claim of being an ‘honest broker.’ Given these dynamics, any change in the ownership landscape of Palestine through a new UN resolution would indeed be a miraculous outcome.