The UN General Assembly has passed a resolution to expand Palestine’s rights and privileges at the UN.
143 countries voted in favour, nine voted against and 25 abstained.
The resolution would call on the Security Council to favourably reconsider Palestine’s request to become the 194th member of the UN.
Palestine is currently a non-member observer state and has been fighting for full membership in this body for many years now.
The newly passed resolution would not give Palestine full membership but allow them a lot more rights and privileges, such as joining various UN organisations and bodies that they are not able to join now, among other things.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the UN vote, saying that Palestine will continue to push for full membership at the UN.
He said that the resolution’s passage showed that the world stands with the rights and freedom of the Palestinian people, and against Israel’s occupation.
Addressing the UN General Assembly prior to the vote, Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian Ambassador to the UN, stated that a yes vote is a vote for Palestinian existence.”
“It is not against any state, but it is against the attempts to deprive us of our state,” Mansour said.
“That is why the Israeli government is so opposed to it, because they oppose our independence and the two-state solution altogether,” he added.
“If you do not support our freedom, you do not support peace. Your vote today of course says a lot about your solidarity with Palestine but also about who you are and what you stand for…
“In simple words, voting “Yes” is the right thing to do and I can assure you, you and your country for years to come will be proud to have stood for freedom, justice and peace in this darkest hour. As everyone is saying, ‘Free Palestine, Free Palestine and peace for all.’ And I repeat, free Palestine and vote ‘Yes’ for the resolution.”
Riyad Mansour
However, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, told the UN General Assembly that the United Nations was founded with the mission of ensuring such tyranny (Nazis) never raises its ugly head again.
However, he added, “Today, you are about to do the exact opposite and advance the establishment of a Palestinian terror state, which will be led by the Hitler of our times.”
“Today, with sick and twisted irony, the very body established to prevent evil is now welcoming a terror state into its ranks. In every poll, Hamas is predicted to win Palestinian elections, if they ever happen.
“So today, the General Assembly is not only about to grant the rights to a state of the Palestinian Authority, today you about to grant privileges and rights to the future terror state of Hamas.”
Gilad Erdan
U.S Denounces Vote
The U.S criticized the vote for more rights for Palestine at the UN General Assembly.
Robert Wood, the Deputy U.S Ambassador to the UN, told the General Assembly after voting against the resolution, that “unilateral” measures at the UN and on the ground will not advance a two-state solution.
The UN has long endorsed a vision of two states living side by side within secure and recognized borders.
Palestinians want a state in the currently occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip – all territory captured by Israel in the 1967 war with neighbouring Arab states.
Israeli leaders reject an independent state for the Palestinians.
“Our vote does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood. We have been very clear that we support it and seek to advance it meaningfully,” he noted.
“Instead, it is an acknowledgement that statehood will only come from a process that involves direct negotiations between the parties,” he asserted.
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