Palestinian Leader Welcomes UNGA Resolution Granting Palestine New Rights - Reports

TUNIS, (Sputnik) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has welcomed a UN General Assembly resolution expanding the rights of Palestine in the organization and recommending that the Security Council grant it member status, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

Earlier in the day, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution recognizing Palestine as qualified to join the world organization in a 143-9 vote with 25 abstentions.

Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, accused the UN General Assembly of encouraging terrorism in response to the resolution on Palestine.

"The political theater called the UN has adopted an artificial decision, detached from reality, which only encourages terrorism. Israel seeks peace, and peace will only be achieved through direct negotiation between the parties," he was quoted as saying by the Israeli Foreign Ministry on X.

Katz also described the vote as "a reward for Hamas terrorists," arguing it harmed Israel's efforts to release the hostages still held by the Palestinian movement and made the ceasefire prospects in the Gaza Strip even more distant.

In April, the United States vetoed an Algerian resolution at the UN Security Council recommending that the General Assembly admit Palestine to the UN. The United Kingdom and Switzerland abstained. The remaining members of the UN Security Council voted in favor.

Palestine has held permanent observer status at the UN since 2012, while Israel has been a full member of the organization since 1948.