Ban receives Palestinian application for UN membership

Ban sends Palestinian application for UN membership to Security Council

Ban receives Palestinian application for UN membership

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (left) submits application to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for Palestine to become a UN Member State

Earlier, in his address (FULL TRANSCRIPT) to the Assembly’s annual general debate, Mr. Abbas said the application for full membership of the UN is on the basis of the so-called 4 June 1967 borders.

“Palestine is being reborn. This is my message,” he said, adding that he hoped it did not have to wait long for the application to be approved.

Mr. Abbas said that Israeli Government policies were responsible “for the continued failure of the successive international attempts to salvage the peace process.”

He cited the construction of settlements in the West Bank, the refusal of permits for Palestinians to build in East Jerusalem, and the extensive number of military checkpoints limiting Palestinian movement and the ongoing blockade of the Gaza Strip as examples of such policies.

“All of these actions taken by Israel in our country are unilateral actions and are not based on any earlier agreements. Indeed, what we witness is a selective application of the agreements aimed at perpetuating the occupation.”

He stressed that over the past two years Palestinian authorities have worked hard to implement a programme of building up State institutions, as well as strengthening civil society, increasing government accountability and promoting the participation of women in public life.

RELEVANT UN RESOLUTIONS
General Assembly
Security Council
Economic and Social Council
Human Rights Council

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The United Nations has been working on the question of Palestine since the first special session of the General Assembly on 28 April 1947, which established a body to investigate the issue and return with its recommendations. Over 60 years later, the range of the UN's work on the issue has continued to adapt to meet new challenges and address changing realities on the ground.

HISTORY
History of the question of Palestine
The question of Palestine and the United Nations (pdf)
UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE
Key issues in a permanent settlement
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