UN Votes in Favor of Palestinian Despite US Objection

New York

Islamabad: The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approved granting the Palestinians increased rights within the organization and endorsed their pursuit of full membership, a move thwarted by the United States on Friday.

Israel’s UN ambassador, Gilad Erdan, expressed strong opposition to the largely symbolic vote, while Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour hailed it as historic. Amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Palestinians revived their 2011 request for full UN membership in April, currently holding the status of a “nonmember observer state.” 

This initiative required approval from the UN Security Council followed by a two-thirds majority vote in the General Assembly.

However, the United States, a key ally of Israel and one of the Security Council’s five veto-wielding members, vetoed it on April 18. Prior to Friday’s vote, Ambassador Mansour emphasized the significance of the moment, expressing hope for Palestine to assume its rightful place among independent nations.

The resolution grants Palestinians “additional rights and privileges,” effective from the upcoming General Assembly session in September.