UNITED NATIONS — Palestinians overwhelmingly won the right on Thursday to fly their national flag in front of United Nations headquarters, a symbolic step opposed by Israel and the United States.

The change was made by the United Nations General Assembly, when a vast majority of member countries voted in favor of a resolution granting what are known as nonmember observer states the right to fly their flags alongside member states.

Palestine became an observer state in 2012. The Vatican, the only other observer state, has held that status since 1964.

Palestinian diplomats secured the support of a majority of the assembly, as was expected, with 119 countries voting in favor of the resolution, eight voting against it and 45 abstaining.