China demands end to opposition to Palestine’s accession to UN

Istanbul, Turkey - Ahead of a possible UN Security Council vote, China on Monday called for an end to opposition to Palestine’s accession to the world body.

Extending support to the UN General Assembly’s latest resolution over Palestine, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Beijing urges ‘relevant countries not to continue to stand in opposition to the international community’s moral and human conscience’.

China urges countries ‘not to further obstruct resolutions on Palestine’s accession to the UN’, said Wang.

Beijing’s renewed support for Palestinian statehood comes after the UN General Assembly on Friday overwhelmingly endorsed a resolution calling for the re-evaluation of Palestine’s UN membership bid and granting additional rights.

The resolution, which was spearheaded by the United Arab Emirates on behalf of the Arab Group, was adopted with 143 member states voting in favour, recommending the Security Council to ‘reconsider the matter favourably’.

The US was among nine countries to oppose it, while 25 others, including the UK, abstained. Palestine applied for full membership in the UN in 2011 but did not receive the necessary support from the Security Council under a US veto. It, however, in 2012 obtained ‘permanent observer status’.

In the UN system, memberships are decided by the council, and last month, Washington vetoed a bid for full membership of Palestine.

Meanwhile, comparing Israel’s war on Gaza to the US atomic bombings of Japan during World War II, US Senator Lindsey Graham argued on Sunday that Israel should do whatever it has to do.