Palestine has been granted observer status at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

In a historic occasion, Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour has filed a draft resolution calling for an end to Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories. The Assembly is set to vote on the resolution calling for Israel to end its unlawful presence in Gaza and the occupied West Bank within 12 months, withdraw its military forces, and evacuate all settlers.

The vote will take place in the 193-member assembly as Israel’s aggression on Gaza nears its one-year mark, and violence in the West Bank continues to escalate.

The US has opposed the resolution. However, it has no veto power in the UN General Assembly.

When opening the assembly, Mansour stated that Palestinians face an existential threat, and asked the assembly how many more Palestinians would need to die before the world reacted.

In response, Israel’s UN Ambassador, Danny Danon urged nations to reject the resolution, calling it an attempt to destroy Israel through diplomatic terrorism.