Context

• Ireland, Norway and Spain have formally recognised Palestine in May 2024.

Key Points

• The move by Norway, Spain and Ireland is a departure from the long-held view of Western powers that Palestinians can only gain statehood as part of a negotiated peace with Israel.
• The move by these European countries resulted in Israel reacting and expressing discontent, with Ireland, Norway and Spain ordering their ambassadors to return home immediately.
• In addition, in the recent United Nations General Assembly, 143 out of 193 UN member states voted in favour of granting full membership to Palestine.

Criteria for obtaining membership in the UN

• The UN requires those seeking membership to be "peace-loving" states and, in its judgement, able and willing to fulfil the obligations of the Charter.
• Membership applications require a recommendation without explicit opposition from any of the five permanent members P5 before the UNGA can accept the admission request.
• In other words, if any of the P5 casts a negative vote by exercising its veto power, the UNSC recommendation is rejected.
• No such veto power applies in the UNGA, except that the decision must be approved by a two-thirds majority.

India's View

• India joined 143 member states in a UNGA resolution in favour of Palestine's case for membership in May 2024.
• India is of the opinion that membership status could enhance the possibility of a two-state solution to the long-standing Israel-Palestine conflict.
• Notably, India's position on the question of membership is now fully consistent with the view expressed during the Nehruvian era - that UN membership should be open to all state applicants without any discrimination.
• In fact, there has not been a single instance of India opposing a country's membership so far.
• India supported Pakistan's entry into the UN in 1947 and also supported the representation of the People's Republic of China in 1971 despite its long-standing border conflict with China.

Way Forward

• It is worth noting that Palestine cannot assume full UN membership bypassing the UNSC and the US.
• China and Russia are apprehensive that such an oversight could later set a precedent for the entry of Taiwan or Kosovo.
• In a less likely scenario, the US may once again refrain from imposing its veto or abstain from voting, an expression of displeasure towards Israel for ignoring advice to stop attacks against Gaza civilians, thereby paving the way for UNGA approval of Palestine's membership.
• Israel may protest and leave the UN. If the UNSC deadlock continues, the UNGA may possibly consider keeping Israel out of its deliberations.

Important Facts For Exam

• United Nations
• Established:1945
• Predecessor organisation: League of Nations

The main organs of the United Nations are:

• United Nations General Assembly
• Security Council.
• United Nations Economic and Social Council.
• United Nations Trust Council.
• International Court of Justice.
• United Nations Secretariat.
• Note :All these 6 organs were established at the time of the establishment of the United Nations in the year 1945.

Palestine

• President:Mahmoud Abbas
• Capitals: Jerusalem, Ramallah
• Algeria was the first country in the world to recognize the Palestinian state.