Result:
– In Favor:143
– Against: 9
– Abstain: 25
On Friday, the United Nations General Assembly convened in New York for an emergency special session addressing the Gaza crisis, during which it overwhelmingly passed a resolution upgrading Palestine’s status at the UN to that of an Observer State, while stopping short of offering full membership.
The resolution calls on the Security Council to give “favorable consideration” to Palestine’s request for full membership.
This vote represents a significant upgrade in Palestine’s status at the United Nations, granting it additional powers within the global body, though it still falls short of full membership and voting rights. The Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, hailed the resolution as a “historic” step towards his people’s inevitable political liberation.
In stark contrast, Israel’s UN ambassador delivered an impassioned speech before the General Assembly, denouncing the move and likening Hamas to “modern-day Nazis,” arguing that the resolution has opened the United Nations to these extremists.
The United Nations General Assembly voted by more than a two-thirds majority on Friday to adopt an amended Arab-proposed resolution that urges reconsideration and support for Palestine’s membership in the UN. The resolution also calls for Palestine to be seated among member states alphabetically.
“When you build a building, you do it one brick at a time. If some think it’s symbolic, for us, it’s important as we move towards our natural and legal right to full membership in the UN,” Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour told reporters on Thursday.
“The symbolism is what matters,” echoed UN expert Richard Gowan. “This resolution sends a very clear message to Israel and the US that it is time to take Palestinian statehood seriously.”
The United States, however, expressed reservations. “We’re concerned about the precedent it sets,” said Deputy US Ambassador Robert Wood.
An earlier draft of the resolution was more ambiguous, merely granting “the State of Palestine the rights and privileges” necessary to participate in the Assembly’s work “on equal footing with Member States” without specifying which rights. The final version, aligned with the UN Charter, specifies the additional rights Palestine will receive as an Observer State without infringing on those reserved exclusively for full members, explained Samuel Žbogar, the ambassador of Slovenia, which currently holds a seat on the Security Council.
