A victory for Palestinians at the UN, status upgraded
Palestine, Politics, 7/7/1998

The UN approved a bill today, formulated by the Arab states and the countries of the Non- Aligned Movement, that upgrades Palestine's standing in the international organization to that of a non-voting member.

The measure passed through the General Assembly by an overwhelming majority of 124-4 with 10 abstentions. Israel, the US, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands voted against upgrading the Palestinian presence.

The vote comes as the Security Council continues to discuss an initiative concerning an Israeli plan to extend the municipality of Jerusalem. That plan, which was condemned in a Security Council session last week by many states, including the European Union, China and Russia, would alter the demographic makeup of Jerusalem prior to final status talks.

The upgrade passed by an overwhelming majority, despite concerns by some parties that it could set an unwanted precedent in the international organization by giving more power to an entity that is not a state than has been granted in the past.

Fox News quoted Dore Gold, the Israeli representative to the UN, as saying that the initiative "represents a transparent effort to create a political link between this resolution and the status of the disputed territories," and an attempt "to affect the outcome of the permanent status negotiations over this territory."

The director general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Eitan Bin Tsour, played down the importance of the UN Security Council's discussions concerning the Israeli settlement plan and the Arab call to upgrade Palestine's position in the UN.
A bid, similar to the one that passed today, was withdrawn from the UN during December 1997, after a resolution was introduced to block it.

Marwan Jilani, the UN counselor for Palestine at the UN, told ArabicNews.com today that "This is a great achievement after a long and consistent effort," speaking about the "small victory" at the UN today that elevated the status of the Palestine mission.

The annex to the U.N. resolution gives the Palestine mission the ability to participate in general debate, cosponsor resolutions, and raise points of order along with improving its position by placing it behind the Holy See and Switzerland.

The US had opposed this effort, stating that such action may be regarded a unilateral step, which the US opposes be it by the Israelis or Palestinians. The US has been the sole opposition to many UN resolutions that support Palestinian rights or condemn Israel. But this resolution was before the U.N. General Assembly, and a US veto was not applicable.

Commenting about UN Israeli ambassador Dore Gold's remarks that this resolution is an attempt to interfere in the peace process, Jilani said that what took place today at the UN was a "legal decision" through a "legal procedure," while the Israeli unilateral decisions that "undermine" the peace process are illegal decisions by an "occupying power that should withdraw," adding that Israel is in direct conflict with UN resolutions.

Asked whether this represent a first step towards a Palestinian state, Jilani was reserved and said that this would be "a political decision" and subject to the final negotiations, but officials (Palestinians) have said that this is a first step towards that end. Jilani said that the overwhelming support that included European states was a clear "rejection of US and Israeli policy" that opposed this resolution.

Jilani said that this resolution is a "practical" as well as "symbolic" decision by the international community in support of Palestinian rights.

Previous Stories:
  U.S. opposes Palestinian status elevation in U.N.   (7/4/1998)
  Self determination: another defeat to Israel at the UN   (12/19/1997)
  UN - Palestine   (12/11/1997)

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