The UN General Assembly has given overwhelming approval for Palestinians to raise their flag at the UN headquarters.

Israel, along with seven other countries including the US, had voted against the move. Most EU countries abstained but a group including Malta, France, Italy, Sweden, Poland and Belgium came out in favour, Euronews reported.

The resolution allows non-member observer states to raise their flags and the Palestinians and the Vatican are the only two observers. The Vatican has backed away from the effort, saying it will not 

The Palestinians say they would like President Mahmoud Abbas to raise their flag after he addresses the General Assembly's gathering of world leaders on 30 September.