B’nai B’rith International praises the White House for definitively stating that it would veto any potential U.N. Security Council resolution recognizing Palestinian statehood. The administration has already opposed Palestinian efforts to achieve statehood this month at the United Nations, but this is the first explicit signal that the United States will use its veto power to prevent the statehood bid.

During her Senate confirmation hearings, newly-confirmed Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman declared that, “If any such resolution were put in front of the Security Council, then we would veto it.” She said the United States continues to encourage the Israelis and Palestinians to return to the table for peace talks.

“Forced recognition of a Palestinian state at the United Nations through a unilateral declaration will only continue to marginalize Israel’s standing at the world body and further the conflict in the Middle East,” said B’nai B’rith International President Allan J. Jacobs.

B’nai B’rith has long opposed using the United Nations as a venue for promoting unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. Elevating the Palestinians to a “nonvoting observer state” would bypass legitimate peace talks and only continue to isolate Israel.

“We thank Undersecretary Sherman for clearly stating our country’s plan of action in the face of an expected Palestinian unilateral declaration of statehood,” B’nai B’rith Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin said. “We hope this will persuade other nations that the only path to peace is through direct, bilateral negotiations.”