Palestine granted WHO member state status without voting rights

Palestine has been granted additional rights at the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO's decision making body, World Health Assembly (WHA) voted on Friday at the 77th annual gathering of WHO's member states which approved a draft resolution on aligning the participation of Palestine in the WHO with its participation in the United Nations (UN).

In addition to Maldives, which co-sponsored the resolution, 101 out of 177 countries with voting rights had backed and voted in favor of the resolution, with five against and 21 abstaining.

In a post on social media X, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Moosa Zameer said that this decision is yet another sign that a majority of the world supports the Palestinian cause.

"Our decision to support the resolution stems from the Maldivian people’s strong support for the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights for statehood and their full membership in international organizations."

The resolution, presented by a group of mainly Arab and Muslim countries along with China, Nicaragua and Venezuela, called for Palestine, which already has observer status at WHO, to be granted virtually all the same rights as full members.

The State of Palestine will now have a seat among the Members States, and gain the right to make statements, submit and co-sponsor proposals and amendments, among other rights of WHO member states besides voting rights.

According to foreign media outlets, Palestinian officials and their backers did not attempt to ask for full membership at the WHA in Geneva. Sources suggest that it was due to concern that a vote for Palestinian membership might trigger an automatic suspension of US funding to WHO.

Maldives decision to vote in favor of Palestine at the WHA was in reference to the Palestinian health crisis.