United Nations General Assembly Vote on Incorporation of Palestine as Full Member Reveals Geopolitical Rupture of Latin America and Europe

2024-05-11 11:51:01

The final vote of the United Nations General Assembly approved the incorporation of Palestine as a full member

(From Washington, United States of America) United Nations (UN) General Assembly vote to incorporate Palestine as a full member It showed the geopolitical rupture of Latin America and Europe. The position regarding the war that Israel is waging against the terrorist group Hamas in Gaza, is key to understanding the different alignments, ie regional ties broke and confirmed the global impact of the situation in the Middle East.

Emergency General Assembly the DO allowed to incorporate The State of Palestine as a full member with 143 votes in favor, 9 against and 25 abstaining from voting. It was an unprecedented vote, in a conflict that has dragged on since 1948.

In Latin America vote in favor of it Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Guatemala, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Uruguay y Venezuela. It was against Argentina, y Paraguay was the only regional abstainer.

The vote shows the fracture of the Mercosur partners regarding Palestine and its relationship with Israel. Lula da Silva claim that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a massacre in Gaza, although Javier Miley she declares that the principle of self-defense is being exercised against the terrorist attack carried out by Hamas on October 7. Luis Lacalle Pou he supported the entry of Palestine into the UN, and Santiago Pena planned abstinence. The regional forum, therefore, did not have a single position.

The axis of the diplomatic position was not supported existence and coexistence of the two states, but the war strategy implemented by Israel and Palestine in the Strip. And there is a paradox: if the vote was finally effective – everything went to the Security Council -, the UN would accept a terrorist organization as a full member.

In this context, the leaders of Hamas They would have diplomatic passports, They would be exempt from Interpol red alerts and could abandon their golden exile in Qatar, where they are protected by the Emirate. In addition, to complicate the situation, a domestic dispute over representation in the United Nations would be unleashed.

Hamas rules Gaza, and the West Bank is still administered by the Palestinian National Authority (PAN). They are both half Palestinian, and unlikely Yahya Sinwar -the leader of Hamas- sits down to agree a common agenda with him Mohamed Mustafa, the first of the APN. They are mortal enemies.

Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua and Venezuela They voted according to their ideology and his view of the world. It is countries with government for Palestine, which is binary because of the Middle East conflict and Israel. It is more: Gustavo Petro, Daniel Ortega Miguel Diaz-Canel y Nicolas Maduro They testify to their criticism of the survival strategy of the State of Israel.

Map showing the votes cast by Latin American countries in relation to the draft Resolution recommending the admission of Palestine as a full member of the UN

In Europe, There seems to be more evidence of the regional fracture. Spain, France, Greece, Ireland y Portugal voted for the inclusion of Palestine as a full member of the UN, and Austria, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Sweden y Switzerland they abstained. No European state voted against it.

Once again, the opinion on the conflict in the Middle East and its impact on public opinion was more important in the vote. ideological perspective of governments. Pedro Sánchez voted the same as Emmanuel Macron, and Georgia Meloni abstained like the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz.

The vote on Palestine at the United Nations put pressure on the European Union. There was no uniform position, and each country in the UN moved in direct relation to its own geopolitical interests and domestic agenda.

Unlike the last war Ukraine vs. Russia, where to most European countries the government supports the Volodymyr Zelensky, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu It has fragmented support and is highly dependent on public opinion.

Map showing the votes cast by Latin American countries in relation to the draft Resolution recommending the admission of Palestine as a full member of the UN

The draft resolution regarding Palestine was submitted to the The Security Council, who has the real power in the United Nations. Since the end of the Second World War, when the UN was created, the Security Council has been cinco permanent members –China, the United States, France, the United Kingdom and Russia-y dice temporary members.

Incorporation requires a new member of the UN 9 votes in the Security Council, and without objection of a permanent member. China and Russia They support Palestine and its main financier, who is Iran. France and the United Kingdom are allies of the United States, but in this case each acted without an alliance: Paris in favor, Washington against y Abstain from London.

This means that Palestine will not become a member of the UN until it signs a peace agreement with Israel. He was the condition imposed by the United States to allow them to join the United Nations.