The United Nation (UN) General Assembly on Friday (May 10) voted in favour of a resolution that calls on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to favourably consider Palestine's request for statehood and to become a full member of the world body.

Out of 193 members of the General Assembly, 143 voted in favour of the resolution. Nine voted against and 25 abstained.

While the UN General Assembly cannot grant a full UN membership, the resolution will grant Palestine additional rights and privileges from September 2024.

This includes a seat among the UN members in the assembly hall, though it will not be given a vote in the body.

US vetoed previous statehood bid in UNSC

The move comes after the United States (U.S.) vetoed the bid in a 15-member UN Security Council last month.

Then, the Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood told the council that the veto "did not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood", but was an "acknowledgement that it will only come from direct negotiations between the parties".

On Thursday (May 9), Wood said that the U.S. "have said from the beginning the best way to ensure Palestinian full membership in the UN is to do that through negotiations with Israel. That remains our position".

Singapore voted in favour of the resolution

Singapore voted in favour of the resolution at the 10th Emergency Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on May 10, 2024.

Singapore previously abstained in a vote on Palestine's application for observer state status in 2012.

Burhan Gafoor, Singapore's Permanent Representative to the UN, said during the assembly after the May 2024 vote:

"Singapore’s vote today reflects our heartfelt desire to see both parties resume direct negotiations in good faith, demonstrating courage to take the tremendously difficult but essential first steps towards a two-state solution and a durable peace."

In his speech, Gafoor maintained Singapore's long-standing support for the negotiated two-state solution, and that Singapore's support for the resolution is in line with the country's consistent support for the principles of international law and the implementation of all relevant UN resolutions.

"The prospects for peace between Israel and Palestine have become even bleaker. And this is precisely why we must do everything possible to cease hostilities and revive efforts to work towards a two-state solution," Gafoor added.

"As a friend of both Israel and Palestine, we urge both sides to eschew violence and resume negotiations towards a two-state solution with the help and support of the international community."

Background

An application to become a full-fledged UN member needs to be approved by the Security Council first and then the General Assembly.

According to the UN Charter, prospective members of the organisation must be “peace-loving,” and the Security Council must recommend their admission to the General Assembly for final approval.

Palestine is currently a non-member observer state, a status it has held since 2012.

As a non-member observer state, Palestine was allowed to participate in UN proceedings but was not allowed to vote on draft resolutions and decisions in the UN main organs and bodies, from the Security Council to the General Assembly and its six main committees.

The push for full Palestinian membership in the UN comes seven months after the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attacks by Hamas in Israel.

Top image via United Nations YouTube.