SINGAPORE, May 11 – Singapore on Friday (May 10) voted in favour of a United Nations resolution expressing support for Palestine’s full membership in the international body.
The General Assembly passed the draft resolution with 143 members voting in favour, nine voting against and 29 abstaining.
Israel and the United States were among the nine that said no.
The resolution is largely seen as symbolic, as only the UN Security Council can decide on membership, with the US almost certainly using its veto.
In a ministerial statement released on Friday after the vote, Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said Singapore chose to support the resolution “after serious and careful consideration”.
The resolution, introduced by the United Arab Emirates, said “the State of Palestine is qualified for membership in the United Nations in accordance with Article 4 of the (UN) Charter and should therefore be admitted”.
It also called on the UN Security Council to “reconsider the matter favourably”.
Dr Balakrishnan said that Singapore’s vote was consistent with its support for a negotiated two-state solution “with Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace and security” as well as “relevant UN Security Council resolutions” on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
