After intense debate, the United Nations General Assembly strengthened Palestinian rights within the organization and urged its acceptance as a member state.
Since 2012, Palestine has held the status of a non-member observer state, which allows it some rights less than that of a full member state.
Membership is determined solely by the United Nations Security Council.
Friday’s vote can be seen as a gesture of support for the Palestinians by the entire United Nations, despite Israel’s fierce opposition.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the resolution and said he supported Palestinian efforts for a second vote on the issue by the Security Council.
“Palestine will continue its efforts towards full membership of the United Nations,” he said in a statement.
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan said Israel had welcomed a “terrorist state” into its ranks.
Addressing parliament, President Erdan accused member states of figuratively doing just that by shredding a copy of the UN Charter and passing the resolution by a vote of 143 to 9.
“You are tearing the Charter of the United Nations to shreds with your own hands,” he said. “Yes, yes, that’s what you’re doing. Shredding the Charter of the United Nations. 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. Britain was one of 25 countries to abstain.
Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian envoy, told the general assembly before the vote that a “yes” vote “is a vote for the existence of the Palestinian people, not against any state. It is an investment in peace.”
“We want peace, we want freedom,” Mansour told members.
The vote came amid reports that several European countries are planning to recognize 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 take similar measures, but did not confirm a date.
Friday’s UN resolution gives the world body additional rights regarding Palestine, allowing it to fully participate in discussions, propose agenda items and elect representatives to the commission.
However, they still do not have the right to vote, the General Assembly does not have the power to give them one, and they would need the support of the Security Council.
The issue of establishing a Palestinian state has vexed the international community for decades.
In 1988, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the main representative of the Palestinian people, declared the establishment of a Palestinian state for the first time.
According to Reuters, the Palestinian state has been recognized by 139 of the 193 United Nations member states, but this is seen as largely symbolic.
In fact, Palestinians enjoy limited autonomy through the Palestinian Authority (PA) in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The PA lost control of the Gaza Strip to Hamas in 2007. The United Nations considers both areas to be occupied by Israel and constitute a single political entity.
Israel does not recognize a Palestinian state, and the current Israeli government opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza. It argues that such states pose a threat to Israel’s existence.
The United States, along with Israel, supports the creation of an independent Palestinian state, a so-called two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but insists that such a state should only be achieved through direct negotiations between the two sides. are doing.
Last month, the United States, as one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, used its veto to block Algeria’s widely supported resolution to recognize Palestinian statehood as “premature.”
Security Council resolutions are legally binding, while General Assembly resolutions are not.
