Various Sources
On Friday morning (May 10) at an emergency special session the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of expanding Palestine's "rights and privileges" at the UN. The resolution passed with with 143 countries voting in favour, nine voting against, and 25 abstentions.
While the resolution does not grant Palestine full voting membership, it will receive almost all the rights of a full member state including being able to be elected to various UN bodies. The resolution Resolution also affirmed that Palestine is qualified for membership in the United Nations and recommends that the Security Council reconsider the matter favorably.
The United States has vetoed attempts to make Palestine a full member and voted against, but could not veto, this resolution.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that the vote shows that the "World stands with the Palestinian people".
