November 30, 2012
 At a rally in Bethlehem’s Manger Square, Palestinian children hold the flags of various nations likely to vote in support of the Palestinian bid for "non-member observer state" status at the United Nations, November 29, 2012. (photo by: Ryan Rodrick Beiler/Activestills.org) Palestinians throughout the West Bank gathered, first in anticipation, then in celebration of their bid for upgraded status at the United Nations. In a 138-9 vote, with 41 abstentions, the UN General Assembly voted to change Palestine’s status from "nonmember observer entity" to "nonmember observer state." The landslide victory, including many European nations that changed their vote in the final days from opposing to supporting or abstaining, handed a major diplomatic triumph to President Mahmoud Abbas despite fierce opposition from the United States and Israel. The only other UN members who voted against the bid were Panama, Palau, Canada, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Czech Republic, and Micronesia. The vote took place on the anniversary of the UN General Assembly vote in 1947 to partition the British Mandate of Palestine into an Arab state and a Jewish state.
 Palestinians hold a banner picturing Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas addressing the United Nations at a rally in Bethlehem’s Manger Square in support of the Palestinian bid for "nonmember observer state" status at the United Nations, November 29, 2012. (Photo by: Ryan Rodrick Beiler/Activestills.org)
 Palestinians and ultra-orthodox Jews gather in the West Bank city of Ramallah on November 29, 2012, to support Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’ bid to upgrade Palestine’s status at the United Nations General Assembly. (Photo by: Yotam Ronen/ Activestills.org)
 Palestinians fill the streets of Ramallah to watch President Mahmoud Abbas speak at the UN on November 29, 2012. (Photo by: Oren Ziv/ Activestills.org)
 A youth scales the Israeli separation barrier in the West Bank town of Bethlehem as hundreds gather to watch the speech by President Mahmoud Abbas projected on the wall. (Photo by: Ryan Rodrick Beiler/Activestills.org)
 Israeli citizens gather in central Tel Aviv to support the Palestinian UN bid, November 29, 2012. (Photo by: Keren Manor/Activestills.org)
 Hundreds of Palestinians gather to watch the speech by President Mahmoud Abbas, projected on the Israeli separation wall in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, November 29, 2012. (Photo by: Ryan Rodrick Beiler/Activestills.org)
 Palestinians burn an Israeli flag; they came to watch Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaking at the UN on November 29, 2012 in Ramallah. (Photo by: Oren Ziv/ Activestills.org)
 After the speech by President Mahmoud Abbas in the bid for Palestine’s "nonmember observer state" status at the United Nations, an activist places a sign reading, "Warning: This is illegally occupied land" on the Israeli separation wall in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, November 29, 2012. (Photo by: Ryan Rodrick Beiler/Activestills.org)
 Palestinians celebrate in the West Bank city of Ramallah on November 29, 2012 after the UN General Assembly voted to recognize Palestine as a non-member state. (Photo by: Yotam Ronen/ Activestills.org)
 Palestinians wave flags from their cars in the West Bank city of Ramallah on November 29, 2012 after the General Assembly voted to recognize Palestine as a non-member state. (Photo by: Oren Ziv Activestills.org)
 Palestinians dance in front of the Israeli separation wall in the West Bank town of Bethlehem in celebration of the Palestinian bid for "nonmember observer state" status at the United Nations, November 29, 2012. (Photo by: Ryan Rodrick Beiler/Activestills.org)
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