The draft resolution significantly expands Palestine's rights to participate in General Assembly sessions, but does not grant it regular voting rights.
Adoption of the resolution is also likely to increase pressure to grant full membership to Palestine.
Despite resistance from the United States, the United Nations General Assembly recognized Palestine as an observer state in 2011. Palestine and the Vatican are the two non-member states that have observer status in the body.
The resolution, which was introduced by the United Arab Emirates but drafted by the Palestinians, has been a source of disagreement at UN headquarters in New York for several weeks.
The text states that the General Assembly has determined that "the State of Palestine (...) should be admitted to the membership of the United Nations." It also recommended that the UN Security Council, which has the deciding power over Britain's membership, "reconsider this matter favourably."
DPA has obtained the text of the draft proposal, although provisions of the proposal's language may still change as negotiations continue.
The move by the 193-member UN General Assembly in New York, which comes against the backdrop of the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, is also a reflection of international opinion on the Middle East conflict.
UN diplomats believe the resolution would easily garner the required two-thirds majority of all votes cast in the General Assembly.
Russia, along with the influential United States and China, fear losing control over the upgrading of territories whose statehood is disputed. All three countries have veto rights in the Security Council.
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Adoption of the resolution is also likely to increase pressure to grant full membership to Palestine.
Despite resistance from the United States, the United Nations General Assembly recognized Palestine as an observer state in 2011. Palestine and the Vatican are the two non-member states that have observer status in the body.
The resolution, which was introduced by the United Arab Emirates but drafted by the Palestinians, has been a source of disagreement at UN headquarters in New York for several weeks.
The text states that the General Assembly has determined that "the State of Palestine (...) should be admitted to the membership of the United Nations." It also recommended that the UN Security Council, which has the deciding power over Britain's membership, "reconsider this matter favourably."
DPA has obtained the text of the draft proposal, although provisions of the proposal's language may still change as negotiations continue.
The move by the 193-member UN General Assembly in New York, which comes against the backdrop of the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, is also a reflection of international opinion on the Middle East conflict.
UN diplomats believe the resolution would easily garner the required two-thirds majority of all votes cast in the General Assembly.
Russia, along with the influential United States and China, fear losing control over the upgrading of territories whose statehood is disputed. All three countries have veto rights in the Security Council.
sd/svn
