UN | The General Assembly approved additional rights for the Palestinians in the UN – Finland abstained from voting

of the UN The General Assembly on Friday overwhelmingly approved a motion that gives the Palestinians more rights in the world organization. The largely symbolic decision gives the Palestinians, among other things, the right to make their own proposals or amendments to the General Assembly, so they no longer need to be circulated through a third country.

The Palestinians now also get an alphabetically assigned seat in the hall from among the member states.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the voting result is yet another proof that the Palestinians deserve full UN membership.

Republic president Alexander Stubb wrote in the message service X on Friday that Finland decided to abstain from the vote.

“Finland strives in every way to promote a two-state solution and the birth of an independent Palestinian state that can be accepted as a full member of the UN. When realized, UN membership must not only remain symbolic, but must be part of a jointly agreed plan that produces concrete improvements to the situation of the Palestinians and the security of the region. Unfortunately, this is not the case yet,” Stubb wrote.

According to him, the urgent issues now are the delivery of humanitarian aid, the release of hostages and a ceasefire.

Prime minister Petteri Orpo (kok) also commented on the matter in the message service X.

“Palestine’s UN membership must be part of a broad-based plan that produces concrete improvements to the situation of the Palestinians. The two-state model is the only sustainable solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine,” Orpo wrote.

of Israel UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan used unusually harsh language when criticizing the decision.

“Now we are giving state rights to a group that is already partially controlled by terrorists, and which will be replaced by the child-murdering Hamas rapists,” Erdan said.

The Palestinians last applied for full UN membership in April, but the United States vetoed the idea in the UN Security Council. The Palestinian Authority is currently an observer member of the UN.