Reply #46: I hope this information helps you

[oberliner]

Deiss, a former president of the Swiss Confederation and a former foreign minister who led Swiss voters to approve joining the UN in 2002, made a distinction between UN membership and recognition of Palestine as a state.

He said the requirements for UN membership are clearly stated in the UN Charter: A state has to fill out an application stating its adherence to the Charter, the 15-member Security Council must then make a recommendation the requires nine yes votes and no veto by a permanent member, and only then can the General Assembly vote on membership, which must be approved by a two-thirds majority.

Deiss said the Palestinians are also working to be recognized as an independent state by as many countries as possible.

"This is one way to get statehood and I think before the existence of the United Nations, this was the main track," he said.

So far, 112 nations have recognized Palestine, mostly in the developing world.

The Palestinians predict they will have 135 recognitions by September - more than two-thirds of the General Assembly.

Deiss recalled that General Assembly resolution 181 of 1947 already provides for the creation of two states, one Arab, one Jewish, at the end of the British mandate in Palestine. He said if the Palestinians get a large number of recognitions, this has to be taken into consideration along with the 1947 resolution.

"The General Assembly cannot take the initiative, but we are ready to do our work as soon as a recommendation of the Security Council will be addressed," Deiss said.

He said the UN cannot necessarily grant statehood, but to be a member of United Nations at least "gives you an international recognition and gives you also protection since one of the goals of the United Nations is to protect the sovereignty of its members."

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/palestinians-may-try-to-sidestep-u-s-veto-in-un-statehood-push-official-says-1.365376