A recent resolution to end the age old conflict between Palestine and Israel has been brought to vote in the United Nations Security council. Unfortunately the resolution was one vote short before it can be passed. The result was 8-2 with five nations calling abstention. In the fifteen seat of the Security Council, a resolution needs at least 9 votes in order to be passed.
Three permanent member of the Security Council voted for the resolution, China, France and Russia. The resolution which was sponsored by Jordan includes granting Palestine a statehood as well as the withdrawal of Israeli forces in Palestine territories before 2017. The United States did not vote in favor of the resolution, and had the resolution been passed it was expected that the US will exercise its power to veto the resolution. Permanent members of the Security Council had the power to veto any resolution that had been passed.
The Security Council is composed of 15 members. China, Russia, France, United States and the United Kingdom are the five permanent members. The remaining 10 are considered rotating members.
The resolution includes establishing Palestine as a state and declaring East Jerusalem as its capital. It also states that Israel troops within Palestinian territory including the West Bank shall be withdrawn by 2017. According to the resolution, the two-state solution will end the ongoing war between Palestine and Israel.
United States Ambassador Samantha Power however does not share the same sentiment about the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict considered as the epitome of Middle East conflict. The ambassador claims that United States has invested more than any country in the world in the ongoing pursuit for peace between Palestine and Israel. Ambassador Power added that if the resolution was passed "[it] would undermine efforts to get back to an atmosphere that makes it possible to achieve two states for two people."
