Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas will visit Colombia to convince the country to vote in favor of allowing the Palestinians membership to the United Nations, Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki said Thursday.
According to Al-Malki, eight members of the U.N. Security Council have pledged their support for the recognition of a Palestinian state and lobbyists “are working hard to have a ninth and a tenth.”
“We are working on Bosnia, Colombia and Portugal,” the Palestinian foreign minister said, announcing Abbas’ visit to Colombia, which has rejected a Palestinian seat in the U.N.
The Palestinians need the support of nine members to have the majority support of the Security Council.
Even with the requisite nine votes, the U.S. has pledged to use its veto to block the request, but the Palestinians hope they can at least claim a diplomatic victory by securing a majority in the Security Council.
Colombia has supported the U.S.’ refusal to allow an immediate recognition of Palestine, claiming the statehood may not be “imposed,” but must be the result of a peace accord between Palestinians and Israelis.
