US Vetoes Resolution , to Grant Palestine , Full UN Membership.<br />On April 18, the United States vetoed a United Nations <br />resolution that would have allowed Palestine <br />to become a full United Nations member. .<br />Associated Press reports that the <br />widely-supported resolution was backed <br />by 12 of 15 Security Council members. .<br />The United Kingdom and Switzerland <br />both abstained from the vote, <br />while the U.S. opposed the measure.<br />AP reports that Palestine's broad support reflects the <br />growing international concern for Palestinians facing <br />a humanitarian crisis amid the ongoing war in Gaza.<br />AP reports that Palestine's broad support reflects the <br />growing international concern for Palestinians facing <br />a humanitarian crisis amid the ongoing war in Gaza.<br />The resolution would have made Palestine <br />the 194th member of the United Nations. .<br />Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood stressed to the <br />Security Council that the U.S. veto of the resolution... .<br />... “does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood <br />but instead is an acknowledgment that it will only <br />come from direct negotiations between the parties.”.<br />Similarly, deputy State Department <br />spokesman Vedant Patel said that the U.S. has...<br />... “been very clear consistently that premature actions <br />in New York — even with the best intentions — will <br />not achieve statehood for the Palestinian people.”.<br />In response to the failed vote, Palestinian U.N. <br />Ambassador Riyad Mansour told the council that <br />the decision would not deter the Palestinian people.<br />The fact that this resolution did not <br />pass will not break our will and it <br />will not defeat our determination, Riyad Mansour, Palestinian U.N. Ambassador, via Associated Press.<br />We will not stop in our effort. <br />The state of Palestine is inevitable. <br />It is real. Perhaps they see it as <br />far away, but we see it as near, Riyad Mansour, Palestinian U.N. Ambassador, via Associated Press
