The United Nations backed a Palestinian bid for membership on May 10, 2024 with 143 countries — including India — voting for recognition.
- Nine countries including the US and Israel voted against the resolution while another 25 abstained.
- The UN General Assembly also called for the UN Security Council to “reconsider the matter favorably” after the US vetoed a similar move last month.
- To succeed, the initiative needed a Security Council green light and then a two-thirds majority vote in the General Assembly.
- The resolution was introduced by the United Arab Emirates. The adopted resolution only grants additional rights, meaning that Palestine will remain an observer state.
- UN resolution confers additional rights on Palestine at the world body, allowing it to take part fully in debates, propose agenda items and have its representatives elected to committees.
- It will still not, however, have the right to cast a vote – something the General Assembly does not have the power to grant and would have to be backed by the UN Security Council.
- Palestine has had non-member observer state status since 2012, which allows some rights short of a full member. Membership can only be decided upon by the UN Security Council.
