Dominica has joined 143 nations to vote in favor of supporting a bid by Palestine to become a full member of the United Nations (UN). The vote was held by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday. It did not make Palestine a full member of the UN because this can only be decided by the Security Council, nor did it give Palestine voting rights in the UNGA, but this move recognized the territory as qualified to join.
Last month the United States, a member of the Security Council, vetoed a bid by Palestine to become a full UN member. The text for the resolution was put forward by the United Arab Emirates and it called on the Security Council to “reconsider” Palestine’s membership bid favorably.
“The State of Palestine is qualified for membership in the United Nations,” the text reads.
Presently Palestine has observer status at the UN and will remain so, however, the vote now gives the Palestinian Authority the right to be seated among member states in alphabetical order; submit and introduce proposals and amendments; and co-sponsor proposals and amendments. Palestinian diplomats can also be elected to official posts in the full UN chamber and on committees and will have the right to speak on matters of the Middle East, as well as the right to make statements on behalf of groups of nations in the assembly.
Of the 193 member states of the UN, 143 voted in favor of the resolution, nine voted against and 25 abstained.
Despite the favorable vote, Palestine faces an uphill battle to become a full member of the UN.
The United States, which is a member of the powerful UN Security Council, has in the past used its veto power to block Palestinian UN membership bids and has vowed to use it again even before the UNGA voted on the matter.
“Efforts to advance this resolution do not change the reality that the Palestinian Authority does not currently meet the criteria for UN membership under the UN charter,” Nathan Evans, the spokesperson for the US mission to the UN said.
“Additionally, the draft resolution does not alter the status of the Palestinians as a ‘non-member state observer
mission.'”
The vote was welcomed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas who said it supported Palestinian efforts for another vote on the issue by the Security Council.
“Palestine will continue its endeavor to obtain full membership in the UN,” he said in a statement.
However, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, said the body had welcomed a “terror state” into its ranks.
This is extremely disappointing. First we legalize perversion, then we vote to reward terrorists and in the process facilitate the destruction of Israel. I don’t recognize my country anymore. We have bought into all the lies. Remember God promised to bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse her.
He is watching.
Interesting!
Have to give the Dominica government some credit even though the vote is only symbolic.
The United Nations can be described as a white elephant because of the veto power of the five permanent members with wide-ranging ideologies. The U.K., U.S., France, Russia and China will hardly see eye to eye on any issue. All have weaponized the veto vote.
Over the past 7 months over 34,000 Palestinians, captive in the occupied territory of Gaza, have been slaughtered by the guns, bombs and rockets gifted to Israel by the USA. Towards the end of the last century the civilized world refused to tolerate any longer the existence of the apartheid system in South Africa, so why are we today tolerating apartheid in Israel? Answer: partly through ignorance but mainly because the USA dictates so. It is time Palestine was returned to the Palestinians and Israel prevented from exercising this abhorrent control over them. The world must act now to free them and to recognise their fundamental human rights.
Israel has deterrence. It would be Interesting to see how this plays out between Israel and the United States.
It would be interesting to have nations drum up support, lobby nations even those are US backing – based on the USAs weapons stance to follow Columbia’s lead and expel or suspend diplonatic relations with Israel – good chunk of nations should come together to do this. As well as call for sanctions on Israel and well I.will say a missed opportunity to sanction the United States.
our us citizen and/or permanet resident ambassdors voted.
Israel should also be asked to own up now how many nucleat weapons they have and their nuclear doctrine also in as much as the ambassador shredded the UN chsrter with the tiny shredder they should be asked are they still a member of the UN and engaging in good Faith as this is what keeps nations interacting and participating at the UN.
One is left to question whether Israel’s behaviour is not fueled by thr US enabling them as great allies and tables turned like when the US arns anti government or oppositionparty groups in countries and these turn to terroristic groups that the international community is obliged to help fight – elevate this to the STATE or geopolitical evel
I support Dominica 100%.The UN should vote to remove the USA from the security council,if that can happen.The USA, UK and EU are murderers of innocent men,women and children.I am happy some African countries are expelling the American military from their land.
At the Security Council meeting, America will VETO this move. This is the same America that wants to lecture other countries what they must do and what they should not do.
Given a choice China or America, i pick CHINA everday.