NEW YORK – The UN General Assembly has overwhelmingly supported the Palestinian bid to become a full UN member by passing a resolution.
It urged the Security Council to give “favourable consideration” to Palestine’s request. It has passed overwhelmingly with 143 countries in favour while nine states, including US and Israel, opposed it and 25 abstaining.
The resolution “determines that the State of Palestine … should therefore be admitted to membership” and it “recommends that the Security Council reconsider the matter favorably.”
The Palestinian bid for full UN membership comes seven months into a war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the observer State of Palestine, recounted the devastating impacts of the ongoing war in Gaza, with over 35,000 Palestinians killed, a further 80,000 injured and over two million displaced.
“No words can capture what such loss and trauma signify for Palestinians, their families, their communities and for our nation as whole,” he said.
He added that the Palestinians in Gaza have been pushed to the “very edge” of the Strip “to the very brink of life” with “bombs and bullets haunting them”.
Mr. Mansour highlighted that despite the attacks and destruction, the flag of Palestine “flies high and proud” in Palestine and across the globe, becoming a “symbol raised by all those who believe in freedom and its just rule”.
Ambassador Munir Akram of Pakistan said there will come a day when Israel will be held accountable for the crimes committed against Palestinians, especially in Gaza.
The insults hurled today are “the arrogance of the aggressor” reflecting the impunity of the occupier, he said, explaining his delegation’s position ahead of the vote on the draft resolution.
He also expressed hope that the international community will appropriately respond in that regard.
The Ambassador underscored that the resolution’s adoption will determine the widespread support for Palestine to be accorded full UN membership.
