Arab Diplomats Help Undermine Palestinian Attempt To Win UN Leadership Position

A novel attempt by the Palestinian observer at the United Nations to become president of the world body’s General Assembly died on the vine this week, when the envoy, Riyad Mansour, withdrew his candidacy under pressure from fellow Arab diplomats. Mr. Mansour’s nomination for the Assembly’s presidency was initially endorsed by the 22-member Arab caucus at the UN. Several diplomats, however, tell the Sun that under pressure from Washington, America’s Arab allies — including Egypt, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates — leaned on the ambassador to drop out of contention. While the UN does not recognize Palestine as one of its 193 members, Mr. Mansour is one of the most active ambassadors at Turtle Bay, constantly advocating a status upgrade and recognition of Palestine as a full-fledged UN member. His attempt to become the largely-ceremonial top General Assembly position would have raised his profile as a representative of the putative state. A well-placed diplomat tells the Sun that the idea to vie for the UN General Assembly was personally initiated by Mr. Mansour, who is an American citizen, rather than the Palestinian Authority’s leadership at Ramallah. Since he withdrew his candidacy, the envoy made no public comment and has not been seen at Turtle Bay. Israel’s ambassador at the UN, Danny Danon, said on Wednesday that “following diplomatic activity,” Mr. Mansour dropped out of contention. Several diplomats confirmed the withdrawal as well. The Israeli mission to the UN declined requests for further details beyond saying that “joint diplomatic efforts by several countries” led to Mr. Mansour’s about-face. “Submitting this candidacy was another attempt to turn the UN General Assembly into a political circus against Israel,” Mr. Danon said in a statement. “Instead of pushing for a cynical move designed to bolster the Palestinian delegation through the back door, the focus should be on stopping incitement of terrorism and instituting real reform of the Palestinian Authority.”The Palestinian Liberation Organization gained observer status at the UN as an “entity” in 1974. In a 2012 coup, the General Assembly declared that “Palestine” is its “Non-member Observer State.” Full membership, though, requires approval of the 15-member Security Council, where veto-wielding America has rebuffed multiple attempts by Mr. Mansour and others for such recognition.The latest such veto was imposed by the Biden administration in April 2024, at the height of the Gaza war launched by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Mr. Mansour has so far declined to condemn that attack, but a month after the American veto at the Council, the General Assembly further upgraded the Palestinian status, allowing it to make speeches at the Assembly floor, but not vote. Before his withdrawal, Mr. Mansour was one of three candidates of the Asia-Pacific group, alongside Bangladesh and Cyprus, for a year-long stint as General Assembly president beginning in September 2026. Mr. Mansour would have become the first to hold that office despite being from an observer, rather than a full member country. While Mr. Mansour’s presidency would have set a precedent, the General Assembly’s Rules of Procedures does not explicitly ban non-members from holding the office. Rule 50 merely instructs that the body “shall elect a President and twenty-one Vice-Presidents at least three months before the opening of the session over which they are to preside.” Serving as the Palestinian observer since 2005, the 78-year-old Mr. Mansour was born at Ramallah, but moved to Ohio at a young age, joining his father, who gained refugee status in America in 1950. The young Mr. Mansour joined the anti-Vietnam movement, as well as several other left-wing causes. He also marched for Arab rights before joining the PLO UN mission as a diplomat. In recent years he has become the most ubiquitous Arab diplomat, constantly pushing the envelope in attempts to condemn Israel.

Arab Diplomats Help Undermine Palestinian Attempt To Win UN Leadership Position

Arab Diplomats Help Undermine Palestinian Attempt To Win UN Leadership Position

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