In a historic move, Palestine was seated among UN member states for the first time during the first session of the 79th General Assembly in New York on 10 September. The seating, approved by UN General Assembly president Philemon Yang, placed Permanent Observer to Palestine, Riyad Mansour, at a table labeled "State of Palestine" between Sri Lanka and Sudan.

The significance of this moment was not lost on ambassadors from various nations. Egyptian ambassador to the UN, Osama Mahmoud Abdelkhalek Mahmoud, described it as a "historic moment" for Palestine. However, Israel's representative at the UN strongly denounced the seating of Palestine among the member states.

Jonathan Miller, Deputy Ambassador of Israel to the UN, expressed concern over any action that could improve the status of the Palestinians, stating, "Any decision and or action that improves the status of the Palestinians... is currently a reward for terrorism in general and the Hamas terrorists in particular."

The seating of Palestine comes after the UN General Assembly voted in favor of reconsidering Palestine's full membership in May, granting them additional participation rights. However, Israel had previously condemned this vote, and the United States had vetoed a Security Council resolution on the recognition of Palestine as a full member state.

The US has maintained its stance that statehood for Palestine must be achieved through direct agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. They support the establishment of a Palestinian state as part of a negotiated settlement. However, the Israeli Knesset passed a vote in July rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state, including statehood as part of a future peace agreement.

Amid mounting criticism of Israel's actions, several countries, including Spain, Norway, and Ireland, recognized Palestine as a state in late May. In response, Israel authorized five illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and approved sanctions against the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Most recently, Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, threatened to "break and dissolve" the PA if it proceeds with diplomatic measures at the UN to end Israel's illegal occupation of the West Bank and establish a Palestinian state.

The seating of Palestine among UN member states marks a significant moment for their ongoing quest for recognition and statehood. However, it also highlights the deep-rooted tensions and conflicts between Israel and Palestine, as they continue to pursue their respective goals through diplomatic, political, and sometimes contentious means.