The Palestinian Authority is gambling on the support of the new temporary members of the UN Security Council for a new resolution on independence. Photo: Wikicommons

The Palestinian Authority is turning to the incoming temporary members of the UN Security Council in a bid to resubmit the resolution on an independent Palestinian state that was rejected in a critical vote just prior to the New Year.

PA Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki announced on Monday that he had “received assurances from the new members who joined the Security Council that they would support the Palestinian demand to end the occupation.”

Al-Maliki told Voice of Palestine Radio that “Chile, Venezuela and Malaysia are behind us.” He added that the PA was “in contact” with New Zealand and Angola to add their support to the Palestinian bid.

In the December 30th vote, the United States and temporary UNSC member Australia were the only two states that voted against the resolution, submitted by Jordan after the text was agreed with the PA and the Arab League. The United States has repeatedly warned that it will use its veto powers if a statehood resolution submitted outside of negotiations with Israel gains traction at the Security Council.

Votes in favor included France, Russia and China, along with temporary members Argentina, Chad, Chile, Jordan and Luxembourg.

The four remaining states – the UK, along with temporary members Lithuania, Nigeria, the Republic of Korea and Rwanda – abstained.

On Sunday, PA President Mahmoud Abbas confirmed that he planned to reapply to the UN body.

“We have not failed – the UN Security Council failed us,” Abbas said at a press conference in Ramallah. “We’ll reapply – why not? Maybe in another week.”