Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has firmly responded to the UN General Assembly’s support for a Palestinian bid to become a full member of the United Nations.
Following the General Assembly’s decision, the Israeli government formally opposed any upgrade in the status of the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Netanyahu emphasized Israel’s resolve to maintain its sovereignty and right to self-defense, stating, “No one will prevent us, Israel, from exercising our basic right to defend ourselves – not the UN General Assembly and not any other entity. We will stand together with our heads held high to defend our country.”
The Israeli government underscored that the resolution does not alter the legal status of the disputed territories, nor does it grant any new rights or diminish any existing rights of the State of Israel and the Jewish people in the Land of Israel.
The resolution, spearheaded by the United Arab Emirates and resulting in 25 abstentions, followed a recent veto by the United States at the UN Security Council, which blocked the Palestinian Authority’s 2011 application for full membership that had been inactive for years.
