In Pictures

Gallery|Human Rights

Palestinians celebrate hoisting of flag at UN

The Palestinian flag flies for the first time at the UN headquarters in New York.

Flag at UN
The UN recognised Palestine as a state with non-member status and permitted it to raise its flag outside the UN for the first time on Wednesday. [Seth Wenig/AP]
Published On 1 Oct 2015

The Palestinian flag has been raised at the UN headquarters for the first time, an unprecedented move for a non-member observer state.

The raising of the flag came shortly after President Mahmoud Abbas told the UN General Assembly that Palestinians cannot be bound by transitional peace agreements because of Israel’s lack of commitment to them.

Speaking to the crowd, Abbas dedicated the ceremony to “the martyrs, the prisoners and the wounded, and to those who gave their lives while trying to raise this flag”.

Hundreds of Palestinians assembled in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, where they watched the flag-raising on a large screen set up in Yasser Arafat Square.

Related: Palestinian flag raised at UN for the first time

 

Flag at UN
President Mahmoud Abbas kisses a Palestinian flag before raising it during General Assembly at the UN headquarters in Manhattan. [Andrew Kelly/Reuters]
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Flag at UN
The Palestinian flag flies beside the flag of the UN after being raised by President Mahmoud Abbas. [Andrew Kelly/Reuters]
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Abbas, left, walks with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during a ceremony to raise the Palestinian flag for the first time at the UN. [Craig Ruttle/AP]
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Palestinians wave their national flags as they watch a live-screening of Abbas's speech. [Alaa Badarneh/EPA]
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The Palestinian flag flies for the first time at the UN headquarters. [Seth Wenig/AP]
Flag at UN
Abbas declared before world leaders that he is no longer bound by agreements signed with Israel, and called on the UN to provide international protection for the Palestinian people. [Nasser Nasser/AP]
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Flag at UN
Palestinian fighter from al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigades fires into the air in support of Abbas. [Abed Al Hashlamoun/EPA]
Flag at UN
Palestinians near Damascus Gate, outside Jerusalem's Old City, wave flags as they watch Abbas speak at the 70th session of the General Assembly. [Ammar Awad/Reuters]
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Palestinians in the West Bank city of Nablus watch Abbas speak. [Alaa Badarneh/EPA]