In a historic vote, the United Nations General Assembly recently supported a resolution granting full membership to Palestine, signaling a significant moment in the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The step involves the parties directly concerned and regional and global geopolitics in the broadest possible context.

On the recommendation, 143 member states voted in favor, 9 against, and 25 abstentions during the session. The eligibility of Palestine for full membership in the United Nations may, therefore, be viewed as a further step that, perhaps, will raise its international legal and diplomatic status. With this decision, the recommendation for full membership of Palestine is transferred to the Security Council for approval to become practical.

“The decision of the General Assembly, supporting full membership of Palestine, is sharply criticized by the Israeli Foreign Minister, as it is considered to be taking a terrorist organization, according to Israel and many other states – Hamas.”

Answers like that underlie how complex and delicate the decision was, representing deep security concerns and opposition to political blackmail by Hamas in the Palestinian territories.

If Palestine obtains full membership in the UN, the political reality between Israel and Palestine will profoundly change. The UN is a bigger stage for Palestine to pursue its national interests, which also raises security concerns for Israel, especially regarding borders and governance. It will give, on principle, more power to the leaders of Palestine in international fora and peace talks. Still, on principle, it could also harden positions on both sides, complicating what is already difficult to achieve: the return of peace talks under the current frameworks set by the United States.

The vote itself brings changing global sentiments and new alliances to light. Overwhelming support for Palestine might mean that the world is getting tired of this never-ending conflict and is hungry for more decisive actions toward a solution. Recently, the success of the Abraham Accords in bringing about normalization between Israel and most Arab states, as wonderful as it is, will hopefully not matter in the face of the UN resolution mentioned above, should Arab nations feel the need to show stronger support for the Palestinian state.

Granting full membership to Palestine would have far-reaching implications for international law and the UN. In doing so, the full membership of Palestine can change the dynamics of international legal processes, including hypothetical cases before the International Criminal Court.

This might set a precedent for other global territorial and sovereignty disputes, which might even encourage other, stateless entities or entities wanting recognition to seek similar international support.

Full membership could enhance the ease of international aid and support mechanisms for Palestine in alleviating humanitarian conditions within its territories. Full membership with greater support from UN agencies could alleviate problems in areas that have been stricken by conflict. Full membership would also mean new channels of economic aid and development projects within Palestine that would attract more international investments and economic stability. Trade agreements would be enhanced because, as a recognized state, Palestine could have more trade agreements with different countries, promoting its economy with more access to the global market.

Despite these potential advantages, the path to full membership and its practical implementation are complex and difficult. Firstly, Security Council approval is not guaranteed, since permanent members can present a veto based on strategic and diplomatic considerations. This may also have the consequence of influencing the internal politics of Palestine, possibly increasing the inter-factional rivalry between organizations such as Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

Given that Israel opposes this resolution strongly, it may increase the diplomatic and economic pressure on Palestine, further raising the already heightened tension.

The decision lies within the larger context in which the world has increasingly focused on statehood and sovereignty. It was taken when global institutions and alliances were undergoing their most severe test, and the world asked questions about national identity, self-determination, and international law. Such a decision will affect not only the Middle East itself but also the way in which the world deals with and resolves other global conflicts.

The UN General Assembly’s resolution to award full membership to Palestine is a historic event for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For Palestine, it opens up thousands of opportunities in the sphere of international relations and governance; however, it adds extra layers of complication to an already combative regional and global scenario. How these dynamics will play out in the next few months and what will be left of them by the end for both Israeli and Palestinian lands will be seen.