Posted Nov 29, 2012
ByRAMALLAH, West Bank—Palestinians have erupted in wild cheers, hugging each other and honking car horns after the United Nations voted to grant them, at least formally, what they have long yearned for—a state of their own.
In the central celebration in the West Bank city of Ramallah, hundreds crowding into the main square waved Palestinian flags and chanted “God is great” after the U.N. General Assembly vote.
It accepted “Palestine” as a non-member observer state with a vote of 138 in favor, nine against and 41 abstentions.
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Palestinians celebrate as they watch a screen showing the U.N. General Assembly votes on a resolution to upgrade the status of the Palestinian Authority to a nonmember observer state, In the west bank city of Ramallah, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. The U.N. General Assembly has voted by a more than two-thirds majority to recognize the state of Palestine. The resolution upgrading the Palestinians' status to a nonmember observer state at the United Nations was approved by the 193-member world body late Thursday by a vote of 138-9 with 41 abstentions. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
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A Palestinian youth plays with fireworks while Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas speaks to the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, before the body votes on a resolution to upgrade the status of the Palestinian Authority to a nonmember observer state, in the West Bank city of Nablus, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. The Palestinians are certain to win U.N. recognition as a state on Thursday but success could exact a high price: delaying an independent state of Palestine because of Israel's vehement opposition.(AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)
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A girl with the Palestinian flag painted on her face attends a rally supporting the Palestinian UN bid for observer state status, in the West bank city of Ramallah, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. The Palestinians are certain to win U.N. recognition as a state on Thursday but success could exact a high price: delaying an independent state of Palestine because of Israel's vehement opposition. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
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A Palestinian girl waves a flag during a rally supporting the Palestinian U.N. bid for observer state status, in the West bank city of Ramallah, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. The Palestinians are certain to win U.N. recognition as a state on Thursday but success could exact a high price: delaying an independent state of Palestine because of Israel's vehement opposition. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
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A Hassidic Jew holds a Palestinian flag and a sign during a rally supporting the Palestinian UN bid for observer state status, in the West bank city of Ramallah, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. The Palestinians are certain to win U.N. recognition as a state on Thursday but success could exact a high price: delaying an independent state of Palestine because of Israel's vehement opposition. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
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Israeli right wing activists demonstrate against the Palestinian U.N. bid for observer state status, in front of the U.N. headquarters in Jerusalem, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. The Palestinians are certain to win U.N. recognition as a state on Thursday but success could exact a high price: delaying an independent state of Palestine because of Israel's vehement opposition. Hebrew on sign reads: "Abu Mazen's workers." (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
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Palestinians take part in a rally in support of the efforts of President Mahmoud Abbas to secure a diplomatic upgrade at the United Nations, in Gaza City November 29, 2012. The U.N. General Assembly is set to implicitly recognize a sovereign state of Palestine on Thursday despite threats by the United States and Israel to punish the Palestinian Authority by withholding much-needed funds for the West Bank government. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem
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Labourers put up a banner depicting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas before a rally in the West Bank city of Ramallah, supporting the resolution that would change the Palestinian Authority's United Nations observer status from "entity" to "non-member state," November 29, 2012. The U.N. General Assembly is set to implicitly recognize a sovereign state of Palestine on Thursday despite threats by the United States and Israel to punish the Palestinian Authority by withholding much-needed funds for the West Bank government. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman
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Palestinians wave palestinian flags as they watch the U.N. General Assembly votes on a resolution to upgrade the status of the Palestinian Authority to a nonmember observer state, In the west bank city of Ramallah, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. The U.N. General Assembly has voted by a more than two-thirds majority to recognize the state of Palestine. The resolution upgrading the Palestinians' status to a nonmember observer state at the United Nations was approved by the 193-member world body late Thursday by a vote of 138-9 with 41 abstentions. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, right, listens as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks during a meeting on Palestine, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. Palestinians are expected to win U.N. recognition as a state, even as the U.S., Israel's closest ally, mounts an aggressive campaign to head off the General Assembly vote. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
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NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 29: Susan Rice, the American ambassador to the United Nations is congratulated after speaking at the UN General Assembly on November 29, 2012 in New York City. The United States voted against an historic resolution granting "non-member status" to Palestine, which was approved by the 193-member body by a vote of 138-9, with 41 abstentions. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
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People march in support of the Palestinian UN bid for observer state status, in the West Bank town of Jenin, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. The Palestinians are certain to win U.N. recognition as a state on Thursday but success could exact a high price: delaying an independent state of Palestine because of Israel's vehement opposition. (AP Photo/Mohammed Ballas)
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People hold a giant Palestinian flag during a rally in support of the Palestinian UN bid for observer state status, in the West Bank town of Jenin, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. The Palestinians are certain to win U.N. recognition as a state on Thursday but success could exact a high price: delaying an independent state of Palestine because of Israel's vehement opposition. (AP Photo/Mohammed Ballas)
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President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas addresses the U.N. General Assembly before the body's historic vote to recognize Palestine as its 194th State at U.N. Headquarters, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. (Jason DeCrow/AP Images for Avaaz)
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Palestinians hold pictures of President Mahmoud Abbas and wave Palestinian flags during a rally supporting the Palestinian UN bid for observer state status, in the West Bank city of Nablus, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. The Palestinians are certain to win U.N. recognition as a state on Thursday but success could exact a high price: delaying an independent state of Palestine because of Israel's vehement opposition.(AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)
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President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas addresses the U.N. General Assembly before the body's historic vote to recognize Palestine as its 194th State at U.N. Headquarters, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. (Jason DeCrow/AP Images for Avaaz)
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Palestinians celebrate as they wave posters of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, left, and President Mahmoud Abbas, right, as they watch the U.N. General Assembly votes on a resolution to upgrade the status of the Palestinian Authority to a nonmember observer state, in the west bank city of Ramallah, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. The U.N. General Assembly has voted by a more than two-thirds majority to recognize the state of Palestine. The resolution upgrading the Palestinians' status to a nonmember observer state at the United Nations was approved by the 193-member world body late Thursday by a vote of 138-9 with 41 abstentions. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
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An Israeli delegate listens to Ron Prosor, Israel's Permanent Representative to the United Nations speak at the General Assembly, Nov. 29, 2012. An overwhelming majority of countries are expected on Thursday to vote to recognize Palestine as a "nonmember observer state" at the United Nations. (Chang W. Lee/The New York Times)
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Palestinians take part in a rally in the West Bank city of Ramallah November 29, 2012. The 193-nation U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution on Thursday to upgrade the Palestinian Authority's observer status at the United Nations from "entity" to "non-member state," implicitly recognizing a Palestinian state. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman
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