UN General Assembly Overwhelmingly Votes in Favor of Palestinian Membership
The General Assembly voted in favor of a resolution that says Palestine is qualified to join the UN. The US and a handful of allies were the only nations to object to the measure.
To receive full membership status, Palestine must get approval from the UN Security Council, where Washington’s veto has prevented Ramallah from passing the vote.
On Friday (May 10), the General Assembly voted 143-9-25 in favor of Palestine becoming a full member. As only the UN Security Council can grant membership, Friday’s vote determined that Palestine was qualified to become a member and recommended that the UNSC take that step.
The UNSC is dominated by its five permanent members, the US, UK, France, China, and Russia. Any of those states can veto any resolution.
Last month, Washington vetoed a motion that would have granted membership to Palestine.
A US diplomat said Washington would not support Palestinian membership until Israel gives its approval. US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood said before the vote, “We have said from the beginning the best way to ensure Palestinian full membership in the UN is to do that through negotiations with Israel. That remains our position.”
In a fiery speech before the vote, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan compared the Palestinians to Hitler and Nazis, then fed a copy of the UN Charter through a paper shredder. “You have opened up the United Nations to modern-day Naziism. It makes me sick,” he said.
Source: Antiwar.com
