CAIRO, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit welcomed on Saturday the resolution recently adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) supporting the Palestinian bid to become a full UN member.
"The overwhelming vote in favor of the resolution clearly indicates the compass of global will and the direction of international public opinion," Aboul-Gheit was cited as saying in a statement released by the Cairo-based, pan-Arab organization.
On Friday, the UNGA overwhelmingly adopted a resolution declaring Palestine's eligibility for a full UN membership.
Adopted with 143 votes in favor, nine against, including the United States and Israel, and 25 abstentions, the resolution states that "the State of Palestine... should therefore be admitted to membership" and "recommends that the Security Council reconsider the matter favorably."
The AL chief said that the move "reflects the reality of Palestine's eligibility to obtain an independent state, and it also sends the right message to the Palestinians at a time when they are exposed to a full-fledged tragedy," referring to the ongoing Israeli attacks on the besieged Gaza Strip.
Aboul-Gheit stressed that "countries convinced of the two-state solution must accelerate steps to transform this vision into reality," adding that "the recognition of the Palestinian state and its full membership in the UN represent important steps on this path."
He underlined the importance of continuing diplomatic pressures on the countries providing "political cover for Israel" within the UN.
The recent resolution came after the United States vetoed last month a bid at the Security Council to grant the Palestinian state a full UN membership. ■
