United Nations, May 11 (RHC)-- The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly passed a resolution, urging the world body’s Security Council to reconsider Palestine’s request to become a full UN member.

The resolution was passed during an emergency session of the assembly on Friday.  A total of 143 countries voted in favor of upgrading Palestine's status at the world body, while nine voted against and 25 abstained.

Palestine is currently a UN non-member observer state, a status that was granted to it in 2012. An application to become a full UN member needs to be approved by the Council and then at least two-thirds of the General Assembly.

The United States, the Israeli regime’s biggest ally, has so far blocked Palestinians’ every attempt at being recognized as a full member by casting its veto against relevant resolutions.  Most recently, it exercised the veto power during a vote that was being held on the issue at the Security Council on April 18.

Washington, however, does not wield the power at the assembly.

The Friday resolution also granted new “rights and privileges” to Palestine, thus recognizing it as qualified to join the UN as as full member.

Its passage came amid the Israeli regime’s October 7-present genocidal war on the Gaza Strip that has increased sympathy towards Palestinians and amplified international calls for the recognition of the State of Palestine.

At least 34.904 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed so far during the war, which began following al-Aqsa Storm, a retaliatory operation by the coastal sliver’s resistance groups.