STORY: The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly backed a bid by Palestine to become a full U.N. member Friday, recommending the U.N. Security Council "reconsider the matter favorably."
The vote serves as a global survey of support, after the United States vetoed the idea in the U.N. Security Council a month prior.
The Palestinian push for full U.N. membership comes seven months into a war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and as Israel is expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank, which the U.N. considers to be illegal.
"We want peace, we want freedom."
Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour spoke to the assembly before the vote:
"A yes vote is a vote for Palestinian existence, it is not against any state."
"It is an investment in peace, and thus empowers the forces of peace."
Meanwhile, Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan, who spoke after Mansour, accused the assembly of shredding the U.N. Charter:
"You are shredding the U.N. Charter with your own hands. Yes, yes. That's what you're doing. Shredding the U.N. Charter. Shame on you."
The vote by the General Assembly Friday does not give the Palestinians full U.N. membership, but simply recognizes them as qualified to join.
An application to become a full U.N. member first needs to be approved by the 15-member Security Council and then the General Assembly.
If the measure is again voted on by the council it is likely to face the same fate: a U.S. veto.
