Palestine becomes member of UNESCO
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China.org.cn, November 1, 2011
Palestinian officials Monday welcomed the UNESCO decision to accept Palestine as a member in the organization.
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Foreign Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Riyad Al-Malki delivers a speech on October 31, 2011 at the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris. |
They said it is a step forward to a full membership of an independent Palestinian state in the United Nations Security Council.
The overwhelming voting for a full membership of the state of Palestine in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) "is a clear indication that the world's majority supports the Palestinians' right of joining the international community," said Yasser Abed Rabbo, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
"Today's vote reiterates that we are standing before an important shift and we have to carry on until we achieve our goals and gain our legitimate right in establishing our independent state of Palestine," he said, according to Xinhua report.
He called on the countries which still oppose the recognition of the Palestinian bid to the UN for a statehood "to preview their stances."
"We believe that there is a new Palestinian dawn that carries liberty and freedom," he added.
On Monday, 107 members of the UNESCO voted in favor of recognizing Palestine as a full member of the organization. Fourteen countries vetoed, including Israel and the United States, while 52 countries sustained.
Hanan Ashrawi, chief of PLO Culture and Science Department, said that gaining the UNESCO full membership "would empower the Palestinians' position in defending themselves and their culture, old heritage and holy sites," adding that "this would stop Israel damaging our heritage."
"The United States needs to preview its stances," he said.
"This is really a great achievement and a historic victory for the Palestinian diplomacy led by President Mahmoud Abbas to get a full membership of an independent Palestinian state in the United Nations," said Za'noon, speaker for the Palestinian National Council.
The recognition in the UNESCO "would end decades of Israeli claim that it has the right in many cultural, historic and holy sites in the Palestinian territories, mainly in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. This would protect our sites from the ongoing Israeli violations," he said.
The UNESCO is the first UN organization that gives the Palestinians the full membership since Abbas submitted an official request to the UN Security Council for recognizing a full membership of a Palestinian state.
Israel and the U.S. opposed the bid with the U.S. vowing to use veto.
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