For the first time, Palestine obtains an official seat in the United Nations General Assembly

For the first time, the Palestinians took their place among the 193 member states of the United Nations, in the organization's General Assembly.

During the first meeting of the 79th session of the United Nations' top body on Tuesday, Palestinian diplomats sat to represent the "State of Palestine" between Sri Lanka and Sudan.

There was applause during the plenary session and an Egyptian representative described the event as a historic day. Until now, the Palestinians have sat in the General Assembly as observers behind the diplomats of member states.

The General Assembly adopted a resolution last May granting the Palestinians greater participation rights and privileges within the General Assembly, where discussions take place without any state having veto power.

The General Assembly also called on the Security Council to consider “positively” granting Palestine full membership.

The Security Council has the final say on the admission of UN members. The UN General Assembly will be chaired for the first time on Tuesday by its new president, Philemon Yang, a former prime minister of Cameroon. Yang will hold the largely ceremonial post for one year.

Helga Schmid, Germany's top diplomat, is set to take over from Jung. In two weeks, the annual general debate of the UN General Assembly will begin in New York with more than 100 heads of state and government, the world's largest diplomatic gathering.

(Agencies)