"US Opposition and UN Uncertainty: The Palestinian Statehood Dilemma"

Leaked State Department cables obtained by The Intercept reveal the U.S. is lobbying nations, including Ecuador and Malta, to reject Palestinian statehood at the United Nations Security Council, in contradiction to the Biden administration's pledge to support a two-state solution. The cables detail pressure being applied to Security Council members and include justifications for the opposition, citing the risk of inflaming tensions and potential backlash. Ecuador, in cooperation with the U.S., is instructed to lobby other Security Council members to reject the proposal. The U.S. position is that the Palestinian state should be based on bilateral agreements between Israelis and Palestinians, and it does not believe the UN can create the state by fiat.