São Paulo – This Monday (31) in Paris, the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) recognized Palestine as a full member with 107 votes in favour, 14 votes against, and 52 abstentions, according to a statement issued by the UN agency.
The plenary followed a recommendation of the organization’s Executive Board, which recommended the inclusion of Palestine on October 5. The bid for membership is part of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) strategy for seeking full recognition of the Palestinian State from the UN, as requested in a formal application submitted by the PNA’s president Mahmoud Abbas to the Security Council last September.
According to the Unesco, because Palestine is not yet a full member of the UN, the Executive Board’s recommendation and approval from at least two thirds of the General Conference were required, considering only the votes of those in attendance and not counting abstentions. The United States voted against the approval, because, like Israel, the country opposes the Palestinian strategy of seeking UN recognition. The USA has veto rights at the Security Council.
For the decision to become effective, the Palestinians must ratify Unesco’s Constitution. Then the country will become the 195th member of the organization.
Brazil, which voted favourably, celebrated. “The Brazilian government congratulates Palestine for its admission as a full member of the Unesco,” claims a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry. According to the ministry, the Unesco is the first UN agency to accept Palestine as a full member.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
