NEW YORK: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will vote on today on a resolution regarding Palestine’s membership, a longstanding aspiration for Palestinians amidst resistance from Israel and its allies.
The draft resolution, proposed by the UAE as the current chair of the Arab Group, emphasizes granting Palestine new rights and privileges within the UN. Palestine has held the status of a non-member observer state since 2012.
The final draft of the resolution underwent amendments to address concerns from key member states, including the US, Russia, and China. Despite revisions, the Biden administration expressed opposition, citing the need for Security Council approval before granting full General Assembly membership to Palestine.
On 18 April, the US vetoed a widely-backed council resolution that would have made Palestine a full member. During the vote, Britain and Switzerland abstained, while the other 12 council members voted in favour.
Robert Wood, US deputy ambassador to the UN, suggested American opposition to the resolution was based on a question of due process.
Unlike the Security Council, the General Assembly does not have veto powers, indicating that the resolution is likely to pass with a large majority. The Palestinian UN mission underscored the resolution’s significance, viewing it as a step toward a two-state solution and reaffirming the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
The dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, including a reported death toll of over 34,000 Palestinians, has sparked condemnation in various Security Council and UN sessions.
تصوت الجمعية العامة للأمم المتحدة، اليوم الجمعة، على مشروع قرار جديد بشأن أحقية دولة #فلسطين بالعضوية الكاملة، وتعزيز مكانتها في المنظومة الاممية، ومكانها الطبيعي بين دول العالم 🇵🇸
The United Nations General Assembly is voting today, Friday, on a new draft resolution regarding… pic.twitter.com/hELvb8wzCf
— State of Palestine – MFA 🇵🇸🇵🇸 (@pmofa) May 10, 2024
