The Palestinian Authority (PA) is seeking approval of a resolution in the UN General Assembly asking the Security Council to reconsider “favorably” its full membership in the United Nations, which the United States recently vetoed, The Associated Press reported on Tuesday. A draft PA resolution obtained by the news agency would also decide to give the PA “the rights and privileges” to ensure its full and effective participation in the work of the General Assembly and other UN organs, “on equal footing with member nations.” General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding — as Security Council resolutions are — but they are an important reflection of global opinion. The US last month vetoed a PA bid for full UN membership at the Security Council. 12 countries voted in favor of Thursday’s resolution: Slovenia, Sierra Leone, Russia, South Korea, Mozambique, Malta, Japan, Guyana, France, Ecuador, China, and Algeria. Two countries abstained – Britain and Switzerland. The United States is scheduled to defend its veto of the Security Council resolution on Wednesday morning in the General Assembly, according to AP . The US had announced even before the vote that it opposes the measure and would exercise its veto power against it. Following the US veto, PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas said that the PA will "reconsider" its relationship with the United States. Related articles: Abbas asks for assistance in establishing a Palestinian state Ireland to recognize a Palestinian state on Wednesday UN to vote on motion granting PA the rights of a state Trinidad and Tobago recognizes 'Palestine' "The Palestinian leadership will reconsider bilateral relations with the United States, in a way that ensures the protection of the interests of our people, our cause and our rights," Abbas told the official PA news agency WAFA . The PA went to the General Assembly in 2012 and succeeded by more than a two-thirds majority in having their status raised from a UN observer to a non-member observer state.
