This week, Belgium will co-sponsor and support a resolution to recognize Palestine as a full member of the United Nations.
Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib said this on Monday after a meeting with her Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki.
Lahbib called the vote, which will take place on May 10, “a historic moment” that the European Union should not miss. She said it is a “first important step towards peace”. She also shared a photo of her conversation with al-Maliki on X, where she reaffirmed her support for Palestinian status at the UN.
Palestine has been an observer member of the UN General Assembly since 2012, but has no voting rights. The Palestinian application for full UN membership was blocked by the US last month in the Security Council, where twelve of the fifteen members voted in favor. The UK and Switzerland abstained.
A resolution in the Security Council requires at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes from the permanent members: the US, Britain, France, Russia or China.
Tags: Belgium supports Palestinian accession
