UN General Assembly backs Palestinian bid for membership

Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour gestures to delegates after addressing them during the United Nations General Assembly before voting on a draft resolution that would recognise the Palestinians as qualified to become a full U.N. member. Reuters

Michelle Nichols

The United Nations General Assembly on Friday backed a Palestinian bid to become a full U.N. member by recognising it as qualified to join and recommending the U.N. Security Council "reconsider the matter favourably."

The vote by the 193-member General Assembly was a global survey of support for the Palestinian bid to become a full U.N. member - a move that would effectively recognise a Palestinian state - after the United States vetoed it in the U.N. Security Council last month.