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UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The 193-member United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday authorized Palestinians to behave more like a full-fledged member state of the United Kingdom at its meetings in 2019, during which they will chair the group of 77 developing countries.
Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, seated while members of the UN General Assembly vote on the possibility of allowing Palestinians to behave in a procedural manner as a member state at meetings in 2019 during the presidency of the group of 77 developing countries at the United Nations in New York, United States, October 16, 2018. REUTERS / Shannon Stapleton
The United States, Israel and Australia voted against the movement, which garnered 146 votes. There were 15 abstentions and 29 countries did not vote.
"We can not support the efforts of the Palestinians to improve their status outside of direct negotiations. The United States does not recognize that there is a Palestinian state, "said United States Deputy Ambassador Jonathan Cohen to the General Assembly.
Palestinians want to establish a state in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. Israel conquered these territories during the 1967 war in the Middle East and annexed East Jerusalem in an unrecognized way internationally.
"We strongly oppose the election of the Palestinians to the presidency of the G77 as well as this so-called enabling resolution," he said. "Only United Nations Member States should have the right to speak and act on behalf of major groups of States at the United Nations."
In 2012, the United States General Assembly overwhelmingly endorsed the de facto recognition of the sovereign state of Palestine when it transformed the Palestinian Authority's US observer status into a non-member state. – like the Vatican -.
Improving the status allowed them to participate in certain votes of the General Assembly and to join some international organizations. However, as a non-member state, Palestinians can only speak at meetings after Member States, diplomats said.
The resolution drafted in Egypt allows them to operate procedurally as a member state acting on behalf of the G77 and China – making statements, submitting and co-sponsoring proposals and amendments, giving rights of reply and presenting motions for order.
"Australia's decision to vote no on this resolution reflects our long-standing position that Palestinian attempts to gain recognition of a state in international fora are of great value to the world." efforts to find a two-state solution, "Gillian Bird, Australia's ambassador to the United States, told the General Assembly.
Reportage by Michelle Nichols; Edited by James Dalgleish
