Approval requires at least nine votes in favour, with no vetoes. The UNSC’s five permanent members – the US, Russia, China, France and Britain – hold vetoes.
But the US has indicated that its opposition to Palestinian member status in the UN, in the absence of a broader deal with Israel, stays intact.
“Our position has not changed,” Robert Wood, US deputy ambassador to the UN, said last week.
I get the reasoning, but not a single country has ever been kicked out of the UN for having crazy/terrorist/genocidal leaders. So why should having a palatable government be a criterium to join? And anyway, I thought Hamas only controls Gaza. The West Bank is larger, and has a slightly larger population, and it is controlled by Fatah (AFAIK). So the seat would likely end up under Fatah control, no?
Fatah doesn’t control the West Bank because it’s more popular there, the IDF just couldn’t help them seize power in Gaza when they lost the election in 2006. If anything Hamas is a little bit more popular in the West Bank.