United Nations(UN)Vote For Hoisting Palestine Flag Thursday Sep 10,2015

Palestinians overwhelmingly won the right on Thursday Sep 10,2015 to fly their national flag in front of United Nations(UN) Headquarters, a symbolic step opposed by Israel and the United States

Palestinian diplomats secured the support of a majority of the assembly, as was expected, with 119 countries voting in favor of the resolution, 8 voting against it and 45 abstaining.

Voting in favor of the resolution were the countries of the Arab world, Iran and nearly every African and Asian country. It was co-sponsored by more than 50 countries

The 28 member countries of the European Union(EU) did not manage to take a united position as they had hoped. France and Sweden were among those voting in favor, while others, including Britain, Germany and Austria, abstained.

Israel, the United States, Canada and Australia were among the handful that voted against it.

The flag is expected to be hoisted for the first time when the Palestinian Authority’s president, Mahmoud Abbas, delivers his remarks to the annual meeting of heads of state and government at the General Assembly on Sept. 30,2015




Note
Palestine became an observer state in 2012. The Vatican, the only other observer state, has held that status since 1964.