UNGA votes for Palestine membership bid

NEW YORK, May 10 (KUNA) -- The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday backed a Palestinian bid to become a full UN member by recognizing it as qualified to join and recommending the UN Security Council (UNSC) to reconsider the bid favorably.
Submitted by the Arab Group and several other countries, the UNGA adopted a draft resolution with 143 votes in favor and nine against, including the US and Israel, while 25 countries abstained.
The UNGA resolution determines that the State of Palestine should therefore be admitted to membership as per Article 4 of the UN Charter, and it recommends that the UN Security Council reconsider the matter favourably.
A full UN membership requires a recommendation from the UN Security Council to the UNGA ahead of final approval.
Last month, the U.S. used a veto against an Algerian draft resolution urging the UNGA to accept Palestine as a full UN member. (end) ast.mt