UN grants Palestine 'new rights'

The UN General Assembly voted by a wide margin on Friday to grant new rights and privileges” to Palestine, and called on the Security Council to reconsider Palestine’s request to become the 194th member of the United Nations.

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The world body approved the Arab and Palestinian-sponsored resolution by a vote of 143-9 with 25 abstentions. The United States voted against it, along with Israel, Argentina, Czechia, Hungary, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Papua New Guinea.

The vote reflected the wide global support for full membership of Palestine in the United Nations. It also demonstrated growing support for the Palestinians.

A General Assembly resolution on Oct. 27 calling for a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza was approved 120-14 with 45 abstentions. That was just weeks after Israel launched its military offensive in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel, which killed 1,200 people.