Obama Administration Will Use Veto if UN Recognizes Palestinian Statehood

Responding to the upcoming Palestinian attempt to gain statehood recognition at the U.N. General Assembly session beginning later this month, the Obama administration has indicated that it would use the power of the veto to overrule any resolution recognizing a Palestinian state.

Obama’s thoughts on the matter of using the UN to create an independent state was made clear in a speech he gave on May 19, U.S. when the president warned that a just and lasting peace is possible only through a negotiated approach that involves mutual concessions. "Symbolic actions to isolate Israel at the United Nations in September won't create an independent state," said the president.

"The administration has been very clear that if any such resolution were put in front of the Security Council, that we would veto it," said Wendy Sherman, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, on September 7.

Sherman’s statement is the first from a U.S. official confirming that the administration would, in fact, use the veto on the Palestinians' statehood bid at the UN Security Council.

Sherman said the threat of the Palestinians then taking the matter to the General Assembly for a symbolic but politically potent vote still loomed, and that the United States was still working to get the parties back to the table for talks.

"The General Assembly is still of concern, and so there is very urgent work going on to try to see if there's not another way forward," she said.

Meanwhile, in an attempt to elevate their profile, Palestinian officials are running a veritable “PR campaign” in a lead-up to their U.N. appearance.

On September 8, Palestinian officials and activists made their way to the UN offices in Ramallah where they announced their plans in a letter addressed to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The letter stated that they will hold a series of peaceful events in various international cities and capitals prior to the September 21 opening of the General Assembly.

And, while the Palestinians claim that these events will be peaceful, Israeli military officials are concerned that demonstrations in the West Bank could become violent.