The United Nations voted in favor of expanding Palestinian status

The resolution grants Palestine much greater rights to participate in General Assembly sessions than it enjoys today, but it does not mean that it has the right to vote.

The resolution also states that Palestine, in accordance with Article 4 of the United Nations Charter, is “fully eligible for membership in the United Nations.”

– Above all, this means that the overwhelming majority of the countries of the world believe that Palestine is qualified to become a full member, which is a symbolic but clear signal from the world, says SVT channel correspondent in the United States, Fouad Yousfi.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz described the decision as ridiculous.

The decision to raise Palestine’s status in the United Nations is ridiculous and a victory for Hamas, Katz says.

He voted by a large margin in favor of the resolution – 143 to 9 voted against. 25 countries abstained from voting, including Sweden.

The United States and Israel are two of the nine countries that voted no.

Billstrom: “Sweden’s recognition will not change”

Sweden recognized Palestine as an independent state in 2014.

Sweden, like like-minded countries such as Finland, the Netherlands, Canada, Austria and Latvia, abstained from the vote, Foreign Minister Tobias Billström wrote in a commentary to SVT.

“Sweden’s recognition of Palestine and its support for the two-state solution will not change with our vote in this resolution,” he writes and continues:

“However, steps towards full membership of Palestine in the United Nations should not only be symbolic, but part of a two-state solution where Israel and Palestine can coexist in peace and security.”

“symbolic vote”

The resolution calls on the UN Security Council to raise the issue of making Palestine a full member of the United Nations again. It is now up to the 15 members of the Security Council whether this issue should be raised.

The United States has previously used its veto power when this issue was raised in the Security Council, most recently in April, and it is expected to do so again this time if the issue is raised.