The United States exercised its veto power at the UN Security Council (UNSC), blocking a draft resolution that proposed granting full United Nations membership to the State of Palestine. This move, anticipated due to the strong backing of Israel by the US, took place on Thursday before the vote. While twelve nations supported the resolution presented by Algeria, the United Kingdom and Switzerland opted for abstention.

Responding to the US veto, the office of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned it as “blatant aggression,” exacerbating tensions in the region. The presidency denounced the US veto as “unfair, unethical, and unjustified.”

“The failure of this resolution will not deter us; our resolve remains unbroken,” asserted Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the UN, following the vote. “The establishment of the state of Palestine is inevitable and undeniable,” he affirmed. Mansour emphasised the ongoing humanitarian toll in Palestine, urging action for justice, freedom, and peace.

Expressing “deep regret” over the UNSC’s inability to adopt the resolution, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs lamented the setback for peace efforts in the region. The Ministry attributed this failure to the Council’s failure to fulfil its role in maintaining international peace and security, particularly in light of the recent conflict in Gaza.

Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, criticised the US veto, alleging that it reflects Washington’s disregard for Palestinian rights. Nebenzia accused the US of prioritising Israel’s interests and ignoring Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank, including illegal settlements and violence against civilians. He argued that such policies aimed to break Palestinian resilience but would ultimately have the opposite effect.