Algeria pushes for Palestine full membership at UN after ceasefire resolution

Algeria vows to secure permanent full membership for Palestine in the United Nations (UN) following the adoption of the long-awaited ceasefire resolution in the Gaza Strip.

"Algeria will soon return to address the Security Council, once again, to ensure that Palestine is in its rightful place as a full member of the United Nations," said Algerian representative to the UN, Amar Ben Jamai, on Monday.

Palestine has been accepted as an observer state of the United Nations General Assembly in November 2012. As of 2 June 2023, 139 of the 193 UN member states have recognised the State of Palestine.

The United Nations Security Council passed its first resolution on Monday, urging an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, as the United States refrained from exercising its veto power, in a shift from its stance in the past months.

The resolution, supported by 14 members, "calls for an immediate ceasefire during the month of Ramadan," which ends in two weeks. It also demands "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages" held by Hamas since 7 October.

"The bloodbath has continued for far too long," said Amar Bendjama, the ambassador from Algeria, the Arab bloc's current Security Council member and a sponsor of the resolution.

Israel has killed more than 32,000 Palestinians since 7 October, mostly women and children, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Meanwhile, more than 90 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million residents have been displaced, and conditions under Israeli siege and bombardment have pushed Gaza to the brink of famine, according to the UN.

While the new resolution remains 'a positive' step after almost six months of bloodshed, human rights activists continue to pressure for a permanent ceasefire in the strip as the sole solution to end the massacring of Palestinian people.

Algeria has tried to pass several permanent ceasefire resolutions in the strip for months. However, the US had repeatedly blocked such resolutions that put pressure on Tel Aviv to end its assault on Gaza, blaming Hamas instead for the ongoing war in the strip.

Russia has also tried to push for using the word "permanent" regarding the ceasefire. It had complained that dropping the word could allow Israel "to resume its military operation in the Gaza Strip at any moment" after Ramadan, which ends on 9 April.

Meanwhile, Algeria has assured that the ceasefire resolution marks just the initial step toward fulfilling the aspirations of the Palestinian people.

It has also held the Security Council responsible for compelling Israel "to comply with this resolution, to immediately stop the killing, unconditionally, and to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people."