Global Geopolitical Series: Palestine aims for statehood recognition by joining several UN agencies

According to reports, Palestinian Authority (PA) led by its President Mahmoud Abbas plans to submit applications to join three UN organization to secure its claim of a separate statehood. According to an unnamed PA official, PA President Abbas has signed the applications in order to strengthen the state of Palestine in International Community. The applications are likely to get submitted by next week. It is not clear at this point, which agencies the Palestinians intend to join.

This is not the first time, the Palestinian Authority expressed a desire to join UN agencies, however, both Trump and Obama administration asked them to not to try and join UN organizations because American law says that the United States must cut funding to any UN organization that gives credence to Palestinian statehood. The first law with regard to this was passed in 1990 which says, “No funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or any other Act shall be available for the United Nations or any specialized agency thereof which accords the Palestine Liberation Organization the same standing as member states,” and the United States do not recognize Palestinian statehood. Another law was passed in 1994 that says that the United States must cease funding to any UN agency that grants full membership to any group that is not internationally recognized as a state.

Currently, PA is a full member of the UN educational, scientific, and cultural agency, UNESCO. After they joined the organization in 2011, the United States cut funding to the agency to the tune of millions of dollars.

PA officials believe that with the relationship soured between the UN and the United States over funding, it would be easier to gain access to memberships of several organizations.