The United States has instructed its embassy in occupied al-Quds to pressure Palestinian leadership to withdraw a bid for a UN General Assembly vice-presidency role, The Guardian reported.
The move comes amid US concerns that the position could allow the Palestinian delegation to preside over or influence high-profile debates on West Asian issues at the United Nations. The cable, dated May 19 and looked over by The Guardian, directed US diplomats to issue a formal demarche to the Palestinian Authority leadership, urging them to abandon the bid.
According to the document, Palestinian officials were given until May 22 to withdraw their candidacy for one of the 16 vice-presidential positions of the UN General Assembly. The cable warned that “consequences will follow” if the Palestinian side failed to comply, adding that the US mission had “repeatedly appealed” for them to step down.
The elections are scheduled for June 2, alongside the selection of the next General Assembly president.
The Palestinian mission is running as part of the Asia-Pacific group slate. While the vice-presidency is less prominent than the presidency of the General Assembly, the role can involve chairing or deputizing during sessions.
The US expressed concern that a vice-president position could allow Palestinian representatives to oversee or influence debates during sensitive discussions on West Asia, particularly during high-level UN sessions. The cable also referenced concerns about upcoming UN gatherings, including the annual high-level week in New York.
According to The Guardian, the document noted that Palestinian diplomat Riyad Mansour, the long-serving UN representative, had previously withdrawn his candidacy for General Assembly president following US lobbying earlier this year.
Washington described that decision as evidence that the Palestinian mission “understood the gravity of the issue and intended to be constructive." However, the US warned that the current vice-presidency bid “calls that into question,” accusing the Palestinian Authority of prioritizing symbolic positions over substantive negotiations.
bd-pratidin/GR
