The United States said on Wednesday that establishing an independent Palestinian state should happen through direct negotiations between the parties and not at the United Nations, Reuters reported.
The Palestinian Authority is seeking a United Nations Security Council vote this month to make it a full member of the world body, the PA’s UN envoy said earlier this week.
An application to become a full UN member needs to be approved by the 15-member UN Security Council - where the United States can cast a veto - and then at least two-thirds of the 193-member General Assembly.
Asked on Wednesday if the US would use its Security Council veto to block the PA’s bid, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller replied, "I'm not going to speculate about what may happen down the road."
He added, however, that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel "is something that should be done through direct negotiations between the parties - it's something we are pursuing at this time - and not at the United Nations."
In November of 2012, the United Nations passed a resolution recognizing “Palestine” as a non-member observer state.
Since that time, the PA has several times said it will aim for full membership in the UN.
The US in 2022 urged the PA not to pursue a vote at the UN Security Council on gaining full UN membership, stressing it will likely veto any such move.