UNITED NATIONS (AP) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas raised the flag of the state of Palestine at the United Nations for the first time on Wednesday with a promise that it will be raised soon in Jerusalem, “the capital of our Palestinian state.”
More than 300 ministers, diplomats and well-wishers who crowded into the rose garden at U.N. headquarters where a temporary flagpole had been erected for the ceremony applauded his words.
Abbas told the crowd it was a “historical moment” on the Palestinian road to independence.
As the black, white, green and red flag went up the flagpole, cheers and shouts of “Peace! Peace! Palestine!” erupted.
The Palestinians campaigned for a General Assembly resolution that was overwhelmingly approved on Sept. 10 allowing U.N. observer states to fly their flags alongside those of the 193 U.N. member states. The Holy See and Palestine and are the only two U.N. observer states.