UAE: The UN vote on granting Palestine full membership is a “historic step”

The UAE expressed on Saturday its welcome of the United Nations General Assembly’s vote in favor of full membership of Palestine in the United Nations, considering it a “historic step on the path to peace and achieving the two-state solution.”

The official WAM news agency quoted a statement by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs as saying: “The UAE - which submitted the draft resolution regarding the eligibility of the State of Palestine for full membership in the United Nations is steadfast in its commitment to promoting peace and justice, preserving the rights of the brotherly Palestinian people, and establishing, An independent, sovereign Palestinian state, in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and relevant agreements requiring an end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.”

The ministry noted in its statement that the UAE "has always called on the international community to strengthen all regional and international efforts to achieve peace and the two-state solution."

The draft resolution submitted by the UAE and adopted on Friday by a majority of 143 votes in favor, 9 against and 25 abstentions, states that “Palestine qualifies for membership in the United Nations in accordance with Article 4 of the Charter, and therefore it should be accepted as a member of the United Nations.”

While the decision angered Israel, it was welcomed by the Palestinian Authority and Arab countries .