Oman on Monday extended its support for the Palestinian bid for a non-member state of the United Nations.

"My country supports the application of Palestine to become a non-member state of the United Nations, hoping this will usher a new phase in the concept of the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, which could contribute positively in the settlement of this problem," said Oman's Foreign Minister Yousef bin Alawi bin Abdullah at the General Debate of the 67th session of the UN General Assembly, which is slated to conclude later on Monday.

Acknowledging the complexities associated with the question of Palestine at the United Nations, he said "It is known to all of us that the United Nations has explored all venues and has adopted many resolutions and policies on the Question of Palestine, but this issue is still a subject of concern and sources of threat and conflict, which goes beyond the Middle East."

On Sept. 28, Hanan Asrawi, a member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization executive committee, said in Ramallah, Palestine, that the vote in the UN on the Palestinian bid of recognizing the State of Palestine as a non-member state will be conducted by the end of this year.

Ashrawi, who expected 150 UN member states in the 193-nation UN General Assembly to vote in favor of the bid, said what the Palestinians will gain "will be the outcome of ongoing intensive diplomatic Palestinian effort in cooperating with all the supportive international groups to our people."

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the UN General Assembly last Thursday that Palestine would continue to gain full membership at the UN and that it has already begun intensive consultations with regional organizations and member states.

In September last year, Abbas officially applied to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for Palestine's admission to UN membership, but failed to muster enough votes at the UN Security Council to get the recognition.

Palestine now has permanent observer status as an entity at the UN.

Both the United States and its close ally Israel oppose the Palestinian bid and demand the Palestinians to resolve the conflict with Israel through direct peace negotiations.

The direct peace talks between the two has witnessed little progress since it broke down in October 2010 due to Israel's settlement activities in the occupied territory.

Palestine won membership last year in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), despite strong opposition from the United States and Israel.

"We believe that the role of the United Nations in relation to the Question of Palestine should change from managing the crisis to seriously searching for a just and lasting comprehensive political solution, that would take into account the interests of the Palestinians and the Israelis, leading to the establishment of the State of Palestine and the State of Israel living side by side, " said Oman's foreign minister.