Palestine as a Non-Member Observer State at the United Nations Palestine as an observer state thus will be in a stronger position to join some of these specialized agencies, though not all of them. A state with observer status cannot join some agencies without being a full member of the United Nations. Moreover, other agencies provide that the consensus of member states is required before an observer may join them. The Israeli newspaper Maariv reported that the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs exerted every effort possible to prohibit Palestine from joining four international organizations: World Intellectual Property Organization, United Nations Environment Programme, Universal Postal Union and the World Health Organization27. Israel pinned much hope on legislation passed by the US Congress in 2011, stating that if the Palestine Liberation Organization was to join an international organization as a member, the United States would cease financing that organization. It is clear that Israel was well aware that the United States’ annual contribution to each organization of the United Nations is 22% of the total budget of that organization, and that the American President may not exceed or cancel this, in accordance with US law. Israel is concerned that acceptance of Palestine by international organizations as a member would weaken its own position in political negotiations; this is especially the case since Palestine as a member can influence the decisions and thus political patterns of these organizations in matters concerning the occupied Palestinian territories. This is borne out by the fact that Palestine’s membership to UNESCO and its new status will facilitate its entry into other organizations, and it is especially difficult now for Israel to pressure these organizations to oppose to Palestine’s membership after it was recognized by (138) member states28. 1.5: Observer State Participation in the General Assembly and Human Rights Council 29 Observer states at the United Nations have the right to participate in the sessions of the Human Rights Council (HRC). The representative of the Holy See, for example, attended the 17th session of the HRC30, which was held on May 17-30, 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland and was permitted to make an intervention, as did other states. Accordingly, Palestine as an observer also has the right to effectively participate in the sessions of the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council; this includes the right to participate in General Assembly debates31 and the right to be added to the list of speakers under agenda items at any plenary meeting of the General Assembly, but listed only after the last member state 27 28 29 30 31 ernmental organizations including the European Council, the Inaugural Organization of American States, the African Union and it is regularly invited to participate in the main meetings of the Asian African Legal Consultative Organization. http://www.samanews.com/index.php?act=Show&id=146319 http://www.samanews.com/index.php?act=Show&id=146319 It is worth mentioning that the Holy See participated in 21st session of the HRC for the interactive dialogue with the International Independent Investigation Commission on Syria. It also participated in the 19th session of the council. It had contributed to special 7th session of the HRC by a presentation about the right to food in Haiti . http://www.un.org/webcast/unhrc/archive.asp?go=110606 U.N. General Assembly Resolution A/58/314, Participation of the Holy See in the Work of the United Nations. 15