The U.N. Security Council has taken its first step in evaluating the Palestinian bid for statehood recognition at the United Nations. The application has been forwarded to a special committee that will review the request in the coming weeks. The United States has pledged to veto any resolution backing Palestinian statehood despite claiming to support a two-state solution. The Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, urged the council’s approval.

Riyad Mansour: “As you see, the process is moving forward, step by step, and we hope that the Security Council to shoulder its responsibility and to approve our application and to send a recommendation to the General Assembly for the admission of Palestine to the United Nations.”