The twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda has recognized the independence of Palestine, following a Palestinian appeal to the UN Security Council for statehood recognition, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported on Sunday.
On Friday, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas urged the UN General Assembly to end the world's "last occupation" and recognize a Palestinian state.
Antigua and Barbuda, a member state of the Latin American and Caribbean alliance, has been the first country to respond to Abbas' appeal and recognize Palestine. By today, over 130 countries have recognized Palestine as an independent sovereign state.
Abbas had earlier filed his historic request for full membership of the UN, handing his application to UN chief Ban Ki-moon.
The U.S. has said it will veto any Palestinian request for the Security Council to grant it full membership.
The Palestinians currently have permanent observer status at the UN.
Abbas has said that he will press ahead with the bid in the General Assembly if knocked back by the Security Council. But approval in the General Assembly alone would not give the Palestinians full membership status.
It would however give the Palestinians the power to take Israel to the International Criminal Court.
