AFP, Ramallah, Palestinian Territories, 31 Oct 2011 – Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas hailed UNESCO’s acceptance of Palestine as a full member on Monday as ‘a victory’ for his people’s rights.
‘Accepting Palestine into UNESCO is a victory for (our) rights, for justice and for freedom,’ his spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina quoted him as saying in a phone call from Amman.
Monday’s vote saw the UN cultural organisation’s 193 member states backing the membership resolution by 107 in favour to 14 against.
The successful bid for UNESCO membership was a significant step toward Palestinian statehood, said Abu Rudeina.
‘We believe that the whole world stood with the Palestinian people today, and that it was a vote in favour of establishing the State of Palestine as soon as possible,’ he said.
Abbas submitted a formal request for UN membership on September 23, and the Security Council is to meet on November 11 to debate the issue and possibly vote on it.
‘Palestine will comply with all international codes, and will be a qualitative addition to UNESCO,’ Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told AFP. ‘It will be able to preserve the Palestinian cultural heritage.’