パレスチナ、国連正式加盟の再検討を要請

【国連ＡＦＰ＝時事】パレスチナは２日、国連への正式加盟申請を月内に安全保障理事会で再検討するよう要請した。（写真は、米ニューヨークの国連本部で、パレスチナ問題を含む中東情勢に関する安全保障理事会の会議で発言するパレスチナ自治政府のリヤド・マンスール国連大使）
　ＡＦＰは、パレスチナ自治政府のリヤド・マンスール国連大使がアントニオ・グテレス国連事務総長に宛てた同日付の書簡を確認した。書簡は安保理へ送られたという。
　昨年１０月７日にイスラエルとイスラム組織ハマスの戦闘が始まって以降、マンスール氏は、イスラエルによる軍事侵攻にさらされるパレスチナにとっての優先事項は国連加盟であると繰り返し述べてきた。
　国連に加盟するには、安保理の勧告を受けた上で、総会で３分の２以上の承認を得る必要がある。
　パレスチナ自治政府のマハムード・アッバス議長は２０１１年に国連加盟を申請したが、安保理での採決は行われず、２０１２年１１月の総会でパレスチナへのオブザーバー資格の付与が決議された。
　観測筋は、イスラエルの最も近しい同盟国である米国が安保理で拒否権を行使して勧告を受けられない可能性があり、総会での審議に持ち込める可能性は低いと見ている。
　一方、アラブ連盟イスラム協力機構、非同盟諸国会議は２日、グテレス事務総長に宛てて「現時点で１４０の加盟国がパレスチナ国家を承認している点に注目してほしい」とする書簡を送った。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/04/03-16:32）

The Palestinians on Tuesday officially revived their bid for a full member state in the United Nations -- a process with an uncertain outcome but one they say is necessary in the face of Israel's offensive in Gaza.
The Palestinians, who have had observer status at the world body since 2012, have lobbied for years to gain full membership, which would amount to recognition of Palestinian statehood.
In a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, dated Tuesday and seen by AFP, UN envoy Riyad Mansour requested upon instructions of the Palestinian leadership that an application dating back to 2011 be reconsidered.
The letter has been transmitted to the Security Council, and the Palestinians have asked that it be reviewed this month, according to the documents seen by AFP.
Mansour has repeatedly said in recent months that given Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip, a response to the October 7 attack by Hamas, UN membership is a priority for the Palestinians.
It was the international community that decided to create two states in Palestine since 1947, Mansour said in February.
It is the duty of the international community along with the Palestinian people to complete that exercise by admitting the state of Palestine to membership.
Last month, he said the Palestinians would start mobilizing the largest number of countries to support us and expressed hope that the council would act in April, pointing to a council meeting set for April 18 on the situation in Gaza.
Malta, which holds the rotating Security Council presidency, said Mansour's letter was received and circulated to council members, adding that talks would be held on a way forward.
The League of Arab States, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the Non-Aligned Movement sent a letter to Guterres on Tuesday, also seen by AFP, supporting the bid by the Palestinians.
We wish to bring to your attention that, as of this date, 140 Member States have recognized the state of Palestine, said the joint letter, which included a list of those countries.
- US veto? -
The 2011 application, launched by Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, never came before the Security Council for a vote, and the General Assembly voted to grant the Palestinians observer status in November 2012.
Any request to become a UN member state must first be recommended by the council, then endorsed by a two-thirds majority in the General Assembly.
Observers believe the Palestinian push for membership is unlikely to reach the assembly as the United States, Israel's closest ally, could use its Security Council veto power to derail the recommendation.
I find it very hard to see the US swallowing this proposal. Richard Gowan, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, told AFP, noting that it took months for Washington to agree not to block a council resolution calling for a Gaza ceasefire.
As far as Washington is concerned, forcing Palestinian statehood up the agenda is simply likely to make coaxing Israel into a ceasefire harder, Gowan said.
To win the council's approval, the Palestinians would have to secure nine votes from the 15 members and no veto from any of the five permanent members: Britain, France, China, Russia and the United States.
For now, Israel has clearly rejected a two-state solution, and its parliament voted overwhelmingly in February against any unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Several European countries -- Britain, France and Spain -- have raised the possibility of considering recognition.
In February, French President Emmanuel Macron said such a move was no longer taboo.
A new draft Security Council resolution written by France -- now in the early stages of negotiations -- raises the idea of intent to welcome the State of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations, according to a text seen by AFP.
In November 1947, the UN General Assembly voted to divide the British Mandate for Palestine into two states -- one Jewish, one Arab.
But only Israel was established on May 14, 1948, sparking a war between the new nation and several Arab countries.
For Gowan, the Palestinians know that they have a moment to push this issue now, which may fade away if there is a ceasefire and UN members focus on other issues.