The United Nations General Assembly votes today on a draft resolution demanding recognition of Palestine as a full-fledged state

New York (United Nations) – Today, Friday, at its tenth emergency special session, the United Nations General Assembly will vote on a new draft resolution calling for the recognition of Palestine as a full-fledged state on par with the rest of the world.

The draft resolution will be voted on in the 193-member United Nations General Assembly, today at 10 a.m. New York time, and will serve as a global survey of the extent of support for Palestine’s request for full membership in the international organization.

In this regard, the Palestinian Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates for the United Nations and its specialized organizations, Omar Awad, confirmed, quoted by the Palestinian News Agency (Wafa), that “Palestine meets the conditions for accepting membership of states stipulated in Article (4) of the United Nations Charter.”

The Palestinian official added, “Passing the resolution requires a vote of two-thirds of the members of the United Nations General Assembly, and it will be tantamount to declaring Palestine’s eligibility to be a full member state, which would strengthen its legal status in the United Nations and its affiliated organizations and bodies.”

Ambassador Awad stated, “The General Assembly’s recognition of Palestine as a full member state will enable it to sit among the member states according to the alphabet. It will also have the right to speak about any topic on the United Nations agenda and to speak on behalf of any international groups and submit draft resolutions on their behalf.”

He stressed that “Palestine has the right to obtain full membership and self-determination,” noting that “144 countries recognize it and that it is carrying out all its duties and responsibilities in the institutions affiliated with the United Nations and has fulfilled all the obligations required of it to obtain full membership.”

On April 18, the Security Council failed to pass the draft resolution submitted by Algeria, on behalf of the Arab Group, which recommends that the United Nations General Assembly enable the State of Palestine to obtain its full membership in the UN body, as 12 members voted in favor of the draft resolution, compared to an abstention. Two countries (Britain and Switzerland), while Washington inquired about the “veto”.

It is worth noting that Palestine currently has observer state status, according to a resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012.

APS