Was the Palestinian bid for UN membership a mistake?

Palestinians rejoiced on the streets when President Mahmoud Abbas applied for full UN membership on 23 September. But in the face of diplomatic intransigence and negative financial consequences, has that optimism proved premature?

To be successful the Palestinian membership request needs to be agreed by the 15-nation UN Security Council, with at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes.

While some countries did offer their support – Russia, China, Brazil, India, Lebanon and South Africa – the bid was opposed by both Israel and the United States, who say that the only way statehood can be achieved is through peace talks with Israel.

The United States promised to veto the application, ensuring its failure. Instead it was agreed that a committee of the UN should consider the application. That committee is due to report back on Friday.

Many in Europe say they support the right of the Palestinians to have a state, but when it comes to the reality, there is another position. Mahmoud Abdullah, Deputy Mayor of Ramallah

Mahmoud Abdullah is the deputy mayor of Ramallah in the West Bank. He told Channel 4 News that the response will damage confidence in the already stalled and embittered peace process.

“People will be sad and they will see that the US and Europe are double-faced, particularly Europe. Many in Europe say they support the right of the Palestinians to have a state, but when it comes to the reality, to the UN, there is another position.

“At least Abbas will now be more realistic about the European position. We should not be so optimistic about those countries, especially France and Britain.”

Should Friday’s UN report be unfavourable, the Palestinians can demand a vote in the full, 193 member, General Assembly – if they can find a council member willing to sponsor a resolution.

The General Assembly could not make them a full member, only an observer state, like the Vatican, meaning they could join a number of UN agencies as well as the International Criminal Court.

Read more: Middle East in flux as Palestinians go to the UN

Israel withholding taxes

Since 23 September, Israel’s evident unhappiness at demands for UN membership for Palestine has been expressed in practical form. It has retaliated by announcing construction of 2,000 new apartments in east Jerusalem, where the Palestinians want their capital city, and by suspending the transfer of tax payments totalling some $100m that it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN observer, said that if these actions continue, the region might see further “escalations and provocations”.

Mr Abdullah told Channel 4 News that the withholding of funds could lead to the collapse of Mr Abbas’ authority.

He said: “If Israel holds this money, it will be so difficult, because most of the salaries given to the Palestinian Authority are from taxes collected by Israel. We are heading for hard times. It means Abbas will lost his credibility and maybe he will resign.”

Israel and the US say the Palestinians must return to the negotiating table before statehood can become a reality, but the Palestinians refuse to return to talks until the Israelis halt all building of Jewish settlements on disputed land in the West Bank. Netanyahu’s government is not prepared to do that, despite calls from Washington to stop the settlement building.

Mr Abdullah says that the retaliation demonstrates a lack of interest in the peace process.

He told Channel 4 News: “If Israel implements what they are saying about settlements, it means there is no land to negotiate. This is a present to the radicals in Palestine. Hamas will say, you see, this is the reality, the reality does not lie in compromise or giving Israel recognition. Times will be hard now for people who believe in peace. The radicals will gain more popularity and that means that in the future there will be another intifada.”

We are not prepared to have another Gaza. Israeli President Netanyahu

But Israeli President Netanyahu told the UN that Palestinians must first make peace, referring to the problems Israel has with Hamas controlled Gaza.

“Israel is prepared to have a Palestinian state in the West Bank, but we are not prepared to have another Gaza,” he said.

The EU has criticized Israel’s decision to withhold funds, as has the UK.

On Wednesday, Foreign Secretary William Hague condemned Israel’s actions but still said that the UK could not support a UN vote for Palestinian statehood and would abstain. He said the UK’s primary objective is a return to negotiations through the quartet, a body made up of the US, the EU, Russia and the UN.

UNESCO row

Palestinian attempts to get recognition on the international stage have also created problems for the UN’s cultural body, Unesco. It has been forced to suspend new programmes after the US cut its funding because of the decision to grant the Palestinians membership at the end of October.

Unesco Director Irina Bokova said the cut had left a $65 million hole in the agency’s 2011 budget.

She warned: “We have to take radical steps and we have to take them now.”

US President Barack Obama is talking to members of congress about funding for Unesco but faces fierce opposition in an era of tight budgets, especially from Republican lawmakers.

Unesco has launched an online appeal for donations from the general public which it said would go towards the emergency fund.