The Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, made a dramatic statement during a General Assembly session where support for a Palestinian bid to become a UN member was being discussed. Erdan shredded a printout of the UN Charter using a mini shredder at the podium, asserting that the Charter was being abused. His actions were captured on video and widely shared on social media.
The vote, a global survey of support for Palestinian UN membership, resulted in a resolution with 143 votes in favor, nine against (including the US and Israel), and 25 abstentions. While this resolution doesn’t grant full UN membership to Palestine, it recognizes them as qualified to join.
NEW: Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan shreds the UN charter with a mini shredder as the UN General Assembly supported a Palestinian bid to become a UN member.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 10, 2024
Palestine does *not* have full UN membership, but they are now simply qualified to join.
The assembly adopted… pic.twitter.com/Fo1fty1RvW
Erdan expressed concerns about the precedent set by the vote, suggesting that it could pave the way for representatives of militant groups like ISIS or Boko Haram to participate in UN proceedings. He criticized the move, arguing that it would grant state rights to an entity influenced by terrorists, specifically mentioning Hamas.
In contrast, the Palestinian Ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, hailed the vote as “historic” and “significant,” expressing optimism about Palestine’s future inclusion among free nations.
Overall, the event highlighted the ongoing tensions and divergent perspectives surrounding the Palestinian bid for UN membership, with Erdan’s dramatic gesture underscoring Israel’s opposition while Mansour emphasized Palestinian aspirations for recognition on the international stage.
