U.S. expresses objection to Palestinian as U.N. envoy to Libya

The United States has objected to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ choice of former Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad as the body’s new representative to Libya.

It was unclear whether the objection, expressed in a statement late on Friday by Nikki Haley, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, Haley, had ended Fayyad’s candidacy.

The U.S. objection drew Palestinian condemnation.

Guterres’ spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Saturday that the proposal to nominate Fayyad “was solely based on Mr. Fayyad’s recognised personal qualities and his competence for that position”.

The United States wields significant influence as one of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council.

“The United States was disappointed to see a letter indicating the intention to appoint the former Palestinian Authority prime minister to lead the UN Mission in Libya,” Haley said in her statement.

“For too long the U.N. has been unfairly biased in favour of the Palestinian Authority to the detriment of our allies in Israel,” she said.

Haley added that the United States “does not currently recognise a Palestinian state or support the signal this appointment would send within the United Nation.”

The U.S. ambassador said Washington encouraged Israel and the Palestinians “to come together directly on a solution” to end their conflict.