Palestinian Authority officials in Washington, D.C., have hoisted the Palestinian flag outside their diplomatic mission for the first time. Chief Palestinian envoy Maen Areikat said the symbolic move is a new step in the Palestinian struggle for statehood.

Maen Areikat: “It’s about time that this flag that symbolizes the struggle of the Palestinian people for self-determination and statehood to be raised in the United States. We hope that this will help in the efforts, international efforts, to provide recognition of the Palestinian state, and we hope that, as President Obama said at the United Nations General Assembly in September last year, that by the next General Assembly session this year in September Palestine will be a full member of the United Nations.”