In a historic move, the UN General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to support the Palestinian bid for full UN membership. The vote, which was 143 to nine with 25 abstentions, signifies a strong international backing for Palestine.
Israel’s envoy to the UN strongly denounced the resolution and its supporters, while the Palestinian envoy highlighted the ongoing attacks in Rafah by Israeli forces. The resolution, while not granting Palestine full membership, would provide the state with new rights and privileges within the UN.
The US, a long-time ally of Israel, voted against the resolution and has warned of using its veto power. Additionally, Israel and leading Republicans have called for US funding to be cut due to the resolution’s privileges granted to Palestine.
The resolution allows the Palestinian mission to have more rights and responsibilities within the UN General Assembly. However, in response to the vote, Israel’s security cabinet approved a further expansion of Israeli forces’ operation in Rafah. The US, on the other hand, opposes the offensive and has paused the delivery of US bombs to Israel.
The situation in Rafah is deteriorating rapidly, with the UN reporting intense clashes and a lack of aid supplies. UN Secretary General António Guterres has warned of a potential humanitarian disaster in Rafah if the situation continues to escalate.
The tensions and violence in Rafah continue to escalate, and the international community is closely monitoring the situation as efforts are made to address the crisis and prevent further loss of life.
