UN votes symbolically in favour of Palestinian membership

UNITED NATIONS, United States — The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Friday to grant the Palestinians additional rights in the global body and backed their drive for full membership, which is blocked by the United States.

Israel's UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan reacted angrily to the largely symbolic vote, while Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour said it was historic.

With the war in Gaza raging, the Palestinians in April relaunched a request dating back to 2011 to become full members of the United Nations, where their current status is that of a "nonmember observer state".

To succeed, the initiative needed a UN Security Council green light and then a two-thirds majority vote in the General Assembly.

But the United States — one of five veto-holding members on the Security Council and Israel’s closest ally — blocked it on April 18.

Before Friday’s vote, Palestinian ambassador Mansour said “I have stood hundreds of times before at this podium, but never for a more significant vote than the one about to take place, an historic one.”

“The day will come where Palestine will take its rightful place among the community of free nations,” he added.

The United States opposes any recognition of statehood outside of a bilateral accord between the Palestinians and Israel, whose right-wing government is adamantly opposed to a two-state solution.

US deputy ambassador to the UN Robert Wood said after the resolution passed that while “our vote does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood... it remains the US view that unilateral measures at the UN and on the ground will not advance this goal”.

The resolution gives the Palestinians “additional rights and privileges” starting in the next session of the General Assembly, in September.

 ‘Symbolism is what matters’ 

Richard Gowan, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, said the move could create “a sort of diplomatic doom loop, with the Assembly repeatedly calling for the Council to grant Palestine membership and the US vetoing it”.

The text explicitly rules out letting the Palestinians be chosen to sit on the Security Council or to vote in the General Assembly.

But it lets them submit proposals and amendments directly, without having to go through another country, as is the case now.

It also gives them the right to be seated among member states in alphabetical order.

The resolution was approved by a vote of 143 to 9 with 25 nations abstaining.

“The symbolism is what matters,” said Gowan. “This resolution is a very clear signal to Israel and the US that it is time to take Palestinian statehood seriously.”

Hamas welcomed the passage of the UN measure, which it called “a reaffirmation of international solidarity with our people.”