The Palestinian delegation joined member states' tables for the first time, a move Israel's UN deputy ambassador branded as 'a reward for terrorism'
Palestinians took a seat among member states for the first time at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, exercising a new right accorded to the delegation despite not being a full member of the organization. A new delegation was present as the 79th General Assembly of the United Nations commenced in New York.
Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian envoy to the UN, took his place at a table between Sri Lanka and Sudan labeled "State of Palestine." Mansour's seat stemmed from the "rights and privileges" extended to Palestine through the passage of an Arab and Palestinian-sponsored resolution in May, with 143 votes in favor, 19 against and 25 abstentions. The U.S. voted against it, alongside Israel, Argentina, Czechia, Hungary, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Papua New Guinea.
Previously, Palestine held "non-member observer state" status, which it received in 2012. May's General Assembly resolution did not give the Palestinians full UN membership but recognized them as eligible to join. As per the resolution, Palestinians can now introduce proposals and amendments and sit among the member states but remain unable to cast a vote or join the Security Council.
Upon the resolution's adoption, Foreign Minister Israel Katz called the decision a "prize for Hamas," In a statement after the vote, Katz said: "The absurd decision taken today at the UN General Assembly highlights the structural bias of the UN and the reasons why, under the leadership of UN Secretary-General [Antonio] Guterres, it has turned itself into an irrelevant institution."
Israel once again denounced the decision on Tuesday. "Any decision and or action that improves the status of the Palestinians, either in the UN General Assembly or bilaterally, is currently a reward… for terrorism in general and the Hamas terrorists in particular," said Jonathan Miller, Israel's deputy ambassador to the UN.
Egyptian Ambassador Osama Mahmoud Abdelkhalek Mahmoud spoke to the media after the assembly, saying, "This is not merely a procedural matter. This is a historic moment for us."
🔗SOURCE ➡️ Haaretz
Related: 5/23 — BLINKEN: OPPOSE PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD, OR STARVE.
"It's US policy to starve the world if Palestinians have a free state..."
Issuing a threat disguised as a reminder, Blinken is referring to US law:
Under legislation by the Congress since 1990, the United States must cut off funding to UN agencies that give full membership to a Palestinian state.
"Antony Blinken said we have to oppose Palestinian statehood or else the World Food Programme budget will be cut and people will starve around the world."
Section 414 of US Public Law 101-246, passed in 1990, states that "No funds authorized to be appropriated from this act or any other Act shall be available for the United Nations or any specialized agency thereof which accords the Palestine Liberation Organization the same standing as member states."
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4/10 —- Algeria Leads Push for Palestine to Become Full UN Member
1/21 — Netanyahu Defies Biden, Insisting There’s ‘No Space’ For Palestinian State
1/20 — Netanyahu Tells US There Will Be No Palestinian State in Any Post-War Scenario
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