For the first time, 13 countries changed their longstanding positions and voted against a pro-Palestine measure at the United Nations on Tuesday.

Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Lithuania, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Brazil, and Colombia voted against the annual resolution regarding the “Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat”, according to the Times of Israel.

13 states, led by Germany, last night surprisingly changed their voting pattern at the UN General Assembly in favor of Israel, opposing resolution praising the Division of Palestinian Rights. UK & France vote in favor; motion still passed by wide marginhttps://t.co/9R6wmgEYjv

— Raphael Ahren (@RaphaelAhren) December 4, 2019

They had previously abstained on the vote.

The resolution, which includes a call to halt to illegal Israeli settlements being constructed in the occupied West Bank, still passed with a large majority voting in favor.

The Palestinian representative told the council: “If you protect Israel, it will destroy you all.” He also said Israel’s character as a Jewish state is “shameless racism”.

Eleven #EU countries, plus Latin American powers #Brazil and Colombia, voted for the first time against an anti-#Israel resolution at the @UN. https://t.co/YjDXjr4Tzg

— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) December 4, 2019

The New York-based Division for Palestinian Rights oversees the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.

The resolution was co-sponsored by Comoros, Cuba, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz has extended his thanks to a group of countries including #Greece that voted against the anti-Israel resolution at the United Nations https://t.co/3dnxsZg1ec

— Kathimerini English Edition (@ekathimerini) December 4, 2019

The UK, France, and Spain abstained, as they do every year, allowing the resolution to pass with a vote of 87-54, with 21 other abstentions.

The General Assembly adopted five resolutions on the question of Palestine and the Middle East, including one calling on the Member States not to recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regards to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations.

(Middle East Monitor, PC, Social Media)