UN human rights experts are calling on states that have not yet recognized Palestine to do so. This position is detailed in a joint statement issued in Geneva. The statement emphasizes that recognizing Palestine is "an important affirmation of the rights of the Palestinian people, their struggle and suffering for freedom and independence," urging all states to follow the example of the 146 countries that have already recognized it.
According to the experts, Palestine should "enjoy full self-determination, including the ability to exist, determine its destiny, and develop freely as a people in security." They argue that this is "a precondition for lasting peace in Palestine and throughout the Middle East," starting with an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and an end to further military incursions into Rafah.
The experts highlighted that "the State of Palestine, officially proclaimed by the Palestine Liberation Organization on November 15, 1988, claims sovereignty over the remaining parts of historic Palestine occupied by Israel in 1967: the West Bank of the Jordan River, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip." They welcomed the recent recognition of Palestine by Norway, Ireland, and Spain, which followed the UN General Assembly's overwhelming support for Ramallah's bid for full UN membership on May 10, 2024.
The statement was signed by 25 UN experts, including Special Rapporteurs on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, and on the right to health, Tlaleng Mofokeng.
On May 10, the UN General Assembly adopted a draft resolution recommending that the Security Council reconsider Palestine's admission as a full UN member. The resolution was supported by 143 UN countries, including Russia. Those opposing the resolution included Israel, Argentina, Hungary, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the United States, and the Czech Republic. Twenty-five countries abstained, including Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Romania, North Macedonia, and Sweden.
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Based on materials from TASS