President Emmanuel Macron has announced that he intends to officially recognize Palestine as a UN member; Despite the symbolism, it will change little to people in Gaza or the West
As we ask how many countries there are in the world, the answer may vary impressively depending on the interlocutor’s ideological or philosophical bias. For the most legalists, the maximum association of all nations, A, recognizes as full members 193 countries. Among the stages of the adhesion process, in addition to the formal request to the United Nations Secretary-General, an evaluation by the most important body of the organization, the Security Council, is required.
The Security Council consists of 15 countries, 5 with fixed seats and 10 with rotating seats. Permanent chairs to this day reflect the 1945 World Order in World War II spoils, where, the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia (as a heiress of the Soviet Union) and China have more power in their hands than the other fully recognized nations. During the process of evaluating a new adhesion, at least 9 votes favorable to the order and no veto of one of the 5 permanent members are required. In an ideal case, after the scrutiny of the Security Council, the candidacy is taken to the UN General Assembly and requires two thirds of the full voting members for admission.
The Palestinian case is complex and much has changed over the years, but the war ongoing since 2023 has raised more international support for the implementation of its recognition in the UN. In the past, as in the present United States vetoes were decisive in the Security Council to prevent any definitive vote in the General Assembly. However, support for Palestine to be a full member already has the support of 147 sovereign countries, or approximately 75% of voters. Easily, your candidacy would be approved within the General Assembly, but the Security Council barrier has postponed this dream to the Palestinians for decades.
In addition to the United States, the United Kingdom and France also officially recognize the Palestinian nation, but the violence of war and the hunger wave that haunts Gaza in recent months have brought new reviews on the subject. The French president announced that France will recognize Palestine as a full member of the UN, being the third country among the five of the Security Council permanent seat to do so. According to the French head of state the decision seeks to reaffirm France’s commitment to “a just and lasting peace.” Macron urgently appealed to the end of the conflict, access to humanitarian aid and return of hostages.
The French position follows a paradigm shift adopted by other European countries since 2023, such as Spain, Norway and Ireland. The inhumanity portrayed in the photos of skeletal children in Gaza only increases support for the Palestinian cause, either as a moral duty through the facts, or by internal pressure by civil society groups. On the Israeli side the prime minister, vehemently condemned the decision of France, saying that a Palestinian state in the present conditions would only have the purpose of Israel’s annihilation.
The symbolism behind the French announcement is evident and powerful, as it is a nation with a higher vote inside the UN. The French choice may possibly encourage other European and Western nations to follow the same way, increasing pressure on the United States, so that one day, also choose recognition. However, the urgency of the humanitarian catastrophe within the Gaza Strip will not be resolved within the UN headquarters in New York. The momentary solution needs two basic premises, first the permission to access humanitarian aid continuously and unrestrictedly to all civilians, and then the immediate surrender of the terrorist group Hamas as a way to put the interest of the Palestinian people above their own.
The pressure grows for Israel to stop using hunger as a weapon of war and act as the only democracy in the Middle East, which in fact is, obeying the international humanitarian direct. Negotiators in Doha and Cairo will need extreme skill and agility to feed the hungry priority before deciding a long -term future for the enclave. France’s courageous decision can give the necessary motivation at this time so that small steps begin to be taken in the right direction to avoid a greater tragedy.
*This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the young Pan.
