Palestinians achieve symbolic victory to become a member state of the UN

The General Assembly voted by an overwhelming majority this Friday in favor of the accession of Palestine as a state to the UN, a non-binding but symbolic decision that unleashed the wrath of Israel and which also had the opposition of countries such as the United States or Argentina.

The resolution, presented by the United Arab Emirates, was approved by 143 countries, 25 abstained and nine voted against, including the United States, Israel, Argentina, the Czech Republic and Hungary.

“I have been on this platform hundreds of times, often in tragic circumstances, but none comparable to what my people are currently experiencing.”said the Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour.

“Nor ever for a vote more important than today, historic”, he added with his voice breaking with emotion.

This resolution will havean important impact for the future of the Palestinian people“, although in itself “does not render justice to the Palestinian state“said the Emirati ambassador Issa Abushahab, on behalf of the Arab countries.

In the midst of the Gaza war, the Palestinians who have a status of “Observer non-member state” since 2012, they relaunched their 2011 application to become a full member state of the UN in early April.

For this, a positive recommendation from the Security Council is needed, but the United States vetoed it on April 18.

Now, the Palestinians decided to turn to the General Assembly, where a favorable vote of two-thirds of the 193 member states was needed to approve a resolution presented by the United Arab Emirates.

That resolution considers that “The State of Palestine qualifies for accession to the United Nations” and urges the Security Council to “reexamine the issue favorably”.

But the United States, which opposes any recognition outside the bilateral agreement between Palestinians and their Israeli ally, warned Friday that if this matter returns to the Security Council, the result will be “similar to April”.

Preceding?

“We could end up in a kind of fatal diplomatic loop, with the Assembly repeatedly asking the Council to accept Palestinian accession and the United States vetoing it.”explained Richard Gowan, analyst at the International Crisis Group.

However, the text immediately grants a series of “additional rights and privileges” to the Palestinians starting with the 79th session of the Assembly, in September.

Although it unambiguously excludes the right to vote and be elected to the Security Council, the text will allow Palestine to directly submit proposals and amendments without going through a third country or sitting among member states in alphabetical order.

Although they are symbolic measures, Israel, whose government rejects the two-state solution, attacked the resolution.

“It makes me sick”said Israeli ambassador Gilad Erdan on the UN platform, where he accused the Assembly of “granting state rights to an entity partially controlled by terrorists.”

“With this new precedent, we could see representatives of the Islamic State or Boko Haram sit among us here“, said.

“Reduce the Letter into pieces. Shameful!“, he concluded after using a paper shredder to destroy the document in one of the coups he usually resorts to.

The United States had expressed its reservations about the initiative, believing that “unilateral measures at the UN and on the ground” will not allow progress towards lasting peace or the two-state solution.

Last December, 153 of 193 countries supported the call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, compared to 10 votes against and 23 abstentions.