In a surprising revelation, leaked State Department cables obtained by The Intercept have shown that the White House is actively opposing Palestinian statehood despite President Joe Biden's pledge to support a two-state solution. The cables detail the United States' lobbying efforts to discourage nations from granting the Palestinian Authority full membership status in the United Nations (UN).

The leaked cables come just ahead of the United Nations Security Council's consideration of the Palestinian Authority's application for UN membership. The United States is seeking to avoid an overt "veto" by lobbying nations to reject Palestinian membership. This lobbying effort is directly at odds with the Biden administration's promise to fully support a two-state solution.

Back in 2012, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution granting Palestine the status of a non-member observer state. Now, the diplomatic cables shed light on the pressure being applied to Security Council members, including Malta, who currently holds the rotating presidency of the council. Ecuador is specifically being asked to lobby Malta and other nations, like France, to oppose UN recognition of Palestine.

The State Department argues that normalizing relations between Israel and Arab states is the fastest and most effective way to achieve a lasting and productive statehood. A diplomatic cable dated April 12 outlines the US's talking points against a UN vote for Palestinian statehood and asserts that Security Council members should reject any proposal for Palestine's recognition as a sovereign nation. The cable advocates for a political resolution within the context of a normalization agreement between Israel and its neighbors.

Experts note that without a unanimous Security Council vote, any subsequent vote from the UN General Assembly would largely be symbolic. Richard Gowan, the U.N. director of the International Crisis Group, explains that the General Assembly can only accept a new state "on the recommendation" of the Security Council.

The leaked diplomatic cable also presents the US's rationale for opposing the vote, citing potential risks of inflaming tensions, political backlash, and even possible funding cuts from the US Congress. The cable emphasizes that premature actions at the Security Council could hinder the Palestinian people's aspirations for statehood and self-determination, instead endangering normalization efforts and increasing the risk of violence.

When questioned about the opposition outlined in the cable and whether it contradicts the Biden administration's position in support of a two-state solution, the State Department did not respond.

The US position, according to Gowan, is that a Palestinian state should be established through bilateral agreements between Israel and Palestine. The US does not believe that the UN can simply create a state through a fiat decision.

As the leaks continue to generate debate and speculation, the question of the White House's genuine commitment to a two-state solution remains unanswered.