General Assembly adopts draft resolution to grant Palestine “full membership” in UN

CAIRO – 10 May 2024:  The UN General Assembly voted, on Friday, in favor of a draft resolution to grant Palestine “full membership” in the United Nations, with a total of 143 ‘yes’ countries’ votes.

According to the newly adopted resolution, the General Assembly recommends Security Council to reconsider the matter of Palestine's “full membership” favorably, changing modalities for its participation in meetings.

A total of 143 countries voted in favor, 9 against and 25 abstained.

Palestinian representative to the United Nations said during the session that Israel has pursued a policy of destruction and displacement in the Gaza Strip.

He added that the lives of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are collapsing, as Israel deliberately spreads famine.

“Netanyahu kills thousands of Palestinians to preserve his political future and says that Palestine poses a threat to him,” the Palestinian representative said.

He called on the United Nations member countries to vote in favor of the draft resolution affirming that Palestinian people have the right to self-determination.

He said that ‘full state membership’ for Palestine is the path to achieving peace.

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al Sisi received a phone call from United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres on Thursday.

Spokesman for the Presidency, Ahmed Fahmy, said the President and the United Nations Secretary-General reviewed the latest developments in the Gaza Strip across all levels, including Egypt’s unyielding and persistent efforts to reach a ceasefire and a truce agreement in the sector.

They agreed that the current perilous circumstances require all concerted international efforts to ensure the success of the ongoing mediation endeavors, in order to achieve a breakthrough in this critical situation and avert an expansion of the cycle of the conflict.

These efforts shall also seek to ensure the immediate and full access for humanitarian relief and aid to all parts of the sector in a sustainable and unfettered manner, notably in light of the collapse of the humanitarian system and the threat of famine and epidemics haunting the people of Gaza.