OIC welcomes resolution to raise Palestinian flag at UN headquarters

The general secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Friday praised a resolution passed by the UN General Assembly to raise the Palestinian flag at the UN headquarters in New York.

In a statement, Iyad Ameen Madani said the resolution expresses the international community's desire to support the two-state solution in line with a previous decision passed by the General Assembly in 2012.

He called on the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution that sets a time-frame for ending the Israeli occupation of Palestine and achieving the sovereignty of the State of Palestine on the pre-1967 borders with Al Quds as its capital.

The UN General Assembly, by a two-thirds vote, adopted a resolution on Thursday allowing the flags of Palestine and the Holy See - both of which have non-member observer status - to be hoisted alongside those of member states.

The flag is expected to be hoisted ahead of a September 30 visit by Abbas to address the UN General Assembly -- which upgraded the status of Palestinians to that of non-member observer in November 2012.

Thursday's resolution was adopted by 119 members while eight - including Israel and the United States - voted against and 49 abstained.

Source: MENA