Ramallah (UNA-OIC) – Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Malki welcomed Thursday the UN General Assembly vote by a majority in favor of two resolutions related to the Palestinian issue, one related to Jerusalem and the other to a peaceful settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Malki stressed in a statement the importance of the vote on Jerusalem at this particular time when the city is being Judaized, its land stolen and its Palestinian residents displaced by force.
While thanking the countries that voted in favor of the resolution, the Foreign Minister criticized the countries that voted against it, those that abstained, and the countries that attempted to sway others to vote against, accusing them of lacking principles.
He stressed that such positions are inconsistent with international law and with the status quo, and do not serve peace. “Occupied Jerusalem was and will remain an essential part of the land of the State of Palestine and its eternal capital,” the Palestinian diplomat said.
Malki also welcomed the adoption of the resolution to settle the question of Palestine by peaceful means, which affirms the international position that calls for ending the occupation and Israel’s withdrawal from the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and their right self-determination, and the need to reach a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem in accordance with UN resolution 194.
The resolution calls on Israel, the occupying power, to stop all actions that contradict with international law, and all unilateral steps in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, that aim at changing the character, status, and demography, as well as the cessation of all Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan, and the full implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2334 (2016), and considers measures for accountability in accordance with international law.
The UN General Assembly voted by a majority on resolution A/76/L.14 entitled “Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine”, with 148 countries voting in favor, 9 against and 14 abstaining. The resolution affirms the achievement of a just and comprehensive settlement of the question of Palestine to reach comprehensive peace and stability in the Middle East.
As for the resolution entitled “Jerusalem” or A/76/L.16, 129 members voted in favor, 11 opposed, and 31 abstained. This resolution calls for an end to incitement, especially in religiously sensitive sites, with the need to preserve the historical and legal status quo in the holy city.
