Amidst the US taking a stronger pro-Israel stance, the UN has been pushing for support for a Palestinian state, Fox News reported.
While, President Donald Trump closed the Palestine Liberation Organization offices in Washington on Monday, a UN diplomat said the Palestinians will likely use their new platform as chair of the G77 block to try to change their status from observer to member status.
"We have permitted the PLO office to conduct operations that support the objective of achieving a lasting, comprehensive peace between Israelis and the Palestinians since the expiration of a previous waiver in November," the State Department announced on Monday. "However, the PLO has not taken steps to advance the start of direct and meaningful negotiations with Israel.
This controversial step followed the US's announcement to cut $360 million-a-year funding to the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA).
“Don’t blame us for cutting aid. Don’t blame us for saying that we think UNRWA is political, and that it needs to be reformed. If you think it’s fine, go: you pay for it,” UN ambassador Nikki Haley said in early September at a press conference.
Correspondingly, the Palestinian Authority was to elevated to the position of chairing a block of 134 developing countries known as G77. The goal of the group is to work for the advancement of developing countries, but the PA might use this platform to push to be recognized as a state, Fox News reported on Wednesday.
“The United States strongly disagrees with the Group of 77’s decision to make the Palestinian delegation the Chair of the G77 beginning in January 2019,” a US official said
“They’re still denying we are a state,” Palestinian representative Riyad Mansour told the New York Times. “We walk like a state. We quack like a state. Therefore we are a state.”https://www.geezgo.com/sps/38854
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