The proposal for the referral, made by Ambassador Vanessa Frazier of Malta, Security Council President for April, received no objections from the body’s 15 members.

“Unless I hear a proposal to the contrary, I shall refer to the Committee of Admission of New Members, the request that renewed consideration be given to the application of the observer State of Palestine, during the month of April 2024,” Ms. Frazier said, referring to Rule 59 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedures on new members.

Ms. Frazier also proposed that the admissions committee, a subsidiary organ of the Security Council, would meet at 3 PM the same day to consider the application. The Committee meetings are held behind closed doors, unless it decides otherwise.

Prior to the formal referral, the Council met privately to discuss the request submitted by Palestine that its earlier request for membership – made on 23 September 2011 – be reconsidered.

Palestine is a non-member observer State of the UN, the same status as held by the Holy See.

Any application for UN membership is considered by the Security Council, which then forwards it on to the 193-member General Assembly to adopt a resolution for the admission of a Member State.

Security Council recommendation

As per its rules of procedure, the Security Council shall decide whether in its judgement the applicant is committed to peace and able and willing to carry out the obligations contained in the UN Charter and, accordingly, whether to recommend the applicant State for membership.

If the Security Council presents a recommendation, it goes forward to the General Assembly along with a complete record of the deliberations.

If the Security Council does not recommend the applicant State for membership or postpones the consideration of the application, it submits a special report plus record of discussions, to the General Assembly.