The United Nations General Assembly strengthened Palestine’s rights within the organization and urged it to be accepted as a member following a heated debate.
Palestine has had non-member observer state status since 2012, which gives it certain rights in the absence of a full member.
Membership can only be decided by the UN Security Council.
Friday’s vote can be seen as a gesture of support for the Palestinians from all UN bodies, despite strong Israeli opposition.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the resolution, saying it supported Palestinian efforts for a new vote on the issue in the Security Council.
“Palestine will continue its efforts to become a full member of the UN,” he said in a statement.
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, said the institution had welcomed a “terrorist state” into its ranks.
Addressing the assembly, Erdan shredded a copy of the United Nations Charter – accusing members of having metaphorically done just that by passing the resolution by 143 votes to 9.
“You are destroying the UN Charter with your own hands,” he said. “Yes, yes, that’s what you’re doing. Shredding the UN charter. Shame on you.”
The countries that voted against the resolution were the United States, Argentina, Czech Republic, Hungary, Israel, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Papua New Guinea. The UK was one of 25 countries to abstain.
Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour told the General Assembly before the vote that a “yes” vote was “a vote for Palestinian existence, it’s not against a state.” It’s an investment in peace.”
“We want peace, we want freedom,” Mr Mansour told MPs.
This vote comes as several European countries are considering recognizing a Palestinian state.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told Spanish broadcaster RTVE on Thursday that Spain would do so on May 21. He previously said Ireland, Slovenia and Malta would also take this step, without confirming the date.
Friday’s UN resolution gives Palestine additional rights within the world body, allowing it to fully participate in debates, propose agenda items and have its representatives elected to committees .
However, he will still not have the right to vote, something the General Assembly does not have the power to grant and which should be supported by the Security Council.
The question of the creation of a Palestinian state has vexed the international community for decades.
In 1988, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the main representative of the Palestinians, first declared the establishment of the State of Palestine.
According to the Reuters news agency, Palestinian statehood has been recognized by 139 of the UN’s 193 member states, although this is largely seen as symbolic.
In practice, Palestinians have limited autonomy through the Palestinian Authority (PA) in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Authority lost control of the Gaza Strip to Hamas in 2007. The UN considers the two territories to be occupied by Israel and constituting a single political entity.
Israel does not recognize the Palestinian state and the current Israeli government opposes the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza. He argues that such a state would pose a threat to Israel’s existence.
The United States supports the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel – the so-called two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – but says such a state should only be achieved through negotiations direct between the two parties.
Last month, the United States used its veto as one of the five permanent members of the Security Council to block a widely supported Algerian resolution calling for the admission of Palestine as a state, calling it ” premature”.
Security Council resolutions are legally binding, unlike General Assembly resolutions.
News Source : www.bbc.com
Gn world
