UNGA Granting Palestine More UN Rights As G77 Chair Proves US Isolation-Palestine Official

The recent approval of a UN General Assembly's (UNGA) resolution granting the Palestinians more rights at the United Nations in 2019, when they will chair the Group of 77developing nations (G77), shows Washington's isolation on the international arena, Palestinian Ambassador to France Salman Harfi told Sputnik on Wednesday.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th October, 2018) The recent approval of a UN General Assembly's (UNGA) resolution granting the Palestinians more rights at the United Nations in 2019, when they will chair the Group of 77developing nations (G77), shows Washington's isolation on the international arena, Palestinian Ambassador to France Salman Harfi told Sputnik on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the 146-member UNGA overwhelmingly approved the resolution, providing additional rights and privileges of participation to the State of Palestine. The United States, Israel and Australia voted against the move. The new powers granted to Palestine include the right to make statements, submit proposals and introduce them on behalf of the G77, among others. Palestine currently has the status of a non-member observer state, which allows it to join treaties, the Law of the Seas treaty, the International Criminal Court as well as specialized UN agencies.

"The status of Palestine is consolidating more and more with this decision. The vote yesterday highlighted once again the isolation of the United States on the international arena, especially, when Washington is trying to prevent Palestine from exercising its own rights as other nations do in the General Assembly," the Palestinian ambassador stated.

He added that Palestine's goals as a G77 chair would include exercising the country's full membership rights at the United Nations, defending all member states of the group while staying in line with UN policies, resolutions and international legality.

The G77 was established in 1964 by 77 developing countries at a UN conference in Geneva. According to the G77's website, the group aims to allow developing countries to articulate collective economic interests and boost their leverage within the UN system.