US puts pressure on Palestinian leaders to withdraw bid for UN vice-presidency role

The US ordered its Jerusalem embassy to pressure Palestinian leadership to withdraw a bid for a UN General Assembly vice-presidency. A State Department cable instructed the embassy to deliver a formal protest to the Palestinian Authority and press for withdrawal by 22 May, warning of consequences if they did not comply. The Trump administration has resisted moves toward Palestinian statehood and sought to influence the Palestinian observer mission at the UN to stand down. The cable warned that the next General Assembly president could help Palestinians preside over high-profile Middle East sessions, including during UNGA81 high-level week. It noted that vice-presidents could be deputized to oversee sessions. Palestinian diplomat Riyad Mansour withdrew a General Assembly presidency candidacy after American lobbying, which Washington cited as evidence of constructive intent.

"A 19 May state department cable seen by the Guardian instructed the US embassy in Jerusalem to issue a demarche (a formal protest) to the leaders of the Palestinian Authority (PA) pressuring them to withdraw the bid by 22 May, warning that consequences will follow if they failed to comply. The Trump administration, which has resisted all moves towards Palestinian statehood, is seeking to pressure the Palestinian observer mission at the UN to withdraw its bid for one of 16 vice-presidential positions on the general assembly, which are due to be elected on 2 June alongside the president of the assembly's next year-long session."

"In a worst case scenario, the next PGA [president of the general assembly] might assist the Palestinians in presiding over high-profile sessions related to the Middle East or during UNGA81 high-level week, the cable read, referring to a week of summits and leaders' speeches planned for September in New York. The Palestinians are currently running as one of four delegations on a Asia-Pacific group slate. Although the vice-presidential role is less prominent than the presidency, the cable noted that vice-presidents could be deputised to oversee general assembly sessions."

"The US mission has repeatedly appealed to the Palestinians to stand down, according to the cable. The communication said Palestinian diplomat, Riyad Mansour, the long-serving representative of the Palestinian mission, withdrew his candidacy for general assembly president in February after American lobbying, a move Washington said showed he understood the gravity of the issue and intended to be constructive. It warned that the vice-presidency bid calls that into question and accuses the PA of prioritising symbolic appointments over substantive e"

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