Palestinian Flag Flies at UN

Local Editor

The Palestinian flag was raised at the United Nations in a symbolic gesture Wednesday as Palestinian Authority Leader Mahmoud Abbas called on the world body to grant them full membership, warning the risk of religious conflict.

In Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank, hundreds of people gathered to watch the flag-raising and Abbas's speech, cheering loudly and waving flags as he spoke.

The General Assembly voted September 10 to allow the flags of Palestine and the Vatican -- both have observer status -- to be raised at the world body alongside those of member states.
The resolution was backed by 119 countries, with 45 abstentions and eight votes against, including Australia, "Israel" and the United States.

Abbas used his speech at the General Assembly to launch a searing attack on "Israeli" policy and appeal for "countries that have not yet recognized the state of Palestine yet, to do so."
"Palestine, which is an observer state in the United Nations, deserves full recognition and full membership," he said.

Abbas said "Israel's" refusal to release Palestinian prisoners and stop settlement activity in the West Bank and east al-Quds, meant that Palestinians could no longer feel bound by past agreements.

"They leave us no choice but to insist that we will not remain the only ones committed to the implementation of these agreements, while "Israel" continuously violates them," he said.

"I call on the "Israeli" government to cease its use of brutal force... particularly its actions at the Al-Aqsa mosque," Abbas said.

EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said Abbas's speech underscored the "urgency" of the need to act now.
"There is an if, and on that if we are going to have to work," she told reporters of the Palestinian threat to abandon past agreements.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team