Brasília – The president of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), Mahmoud Abbas, informed on Wednesday (19) that it should ask the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN), in New York, on the 27th, for recognition of Palestine as one of the institution’s non-member states. “We are determined, despite all the pressures and conflict, and I believe everyone will support us,” he said, on the Facebook.
The general debate of the UN begins on the 25th, with an address by Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff. Yesterday (18) Brazil’s minister of Foreign Relations, Antonio Patriota, stated that matters involving the Palestinians and Israelis are among the concerns of Brazilian foreign policy. Brazil is favourable to the autonomy of the Palestinian State.
Currently, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is classified as an observing member at the UN, without voting rights. Abbas hopes for classification as a non-member state at the UN, the same status granted to the Vatican, giving Palestine access to international agencies and organisations connected to the UN, including legal ones.
To be considered a non-member state of the UN, the PNA must earn a qualified majority of votes during the general assembly. The United Nations has 193 members. Calculations based on the statements of foreign authorities are that Palestine is recognized by 130.
Last year, Abbas submitted to the UN a call for full recognition of the Palestinian State, but that requires approval from the Security Council. This process, however, is stunted due to the resistance of the United States, a permanent member of the Council and, therefore, with veto rights.
*Translated by Mark Ament
