7 dec 2019
The Palestinian Presidency applauded the US Congress, on Friday, for supporting the two-state solution and rejecting the annexation of occupied Palestinian land, the Palestinian News and Info Agency reported.
President Abbas praised congress for their solidarity against Israel’s settlement policy, the fait accompli, and for recognizing the aspirations of the Palestinian people to establish their own state.
The Presidency considered the Congress resolution, passed by a majority of 226 votes in favor to 188 against as “a response to the current wrong policy of the American administration,” the most recent of which was a statement by the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, in which he said that settlements are not inconsistent with international law.
Abbas said in a statement that “this resolution is a clear message to the US administration and Israel that peace will be achieved only through the establishment of the independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the fulfillment of the aspirations of the Palestinian people.”
It reiterated that “true peace will not be achieved without a return to international law, international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.” It demanded the US administration to annul previous wrong policies starting with the one on Jerusalem and ending with support for settlements and rejecting the two-state solution.
The resolution, proposed by Democratic member of Congress, Alan Lowenthal and endorsed by members of both Democratic and Republican parties, is in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions, the latest of which was resolution 2334 of 2016, the President stated.
Representative Lowenthal tweeted after the passage of the resolution stating, “Proud to see the House pass my bipartisan resolution to affirm our support for a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians. We took a stand for a just peace which safeguards human rights and security, and stands against unilateral annexation and settlement expansion.”
President Abbas praised congress for their solidarity against Israel’s settlement policy, the fait accompli, and for recognizing the aspirations of the Palestinian people to establish their own state.
The Presidency considered the Congress resolution, passed by a majority of 226 votes in favor to 188 against as “a response to the current wrong policy of the American administration,” the most recent of which was a statement by the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, in which he said that settlements are not inconsistent with international law.
Abbas said in a statement that “this resolution is a clear message to the US administration and Israel that peace will be achieved only through the establishment of the independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the fulfillment of the aspirations of the Palestinian people.”
It reiterated that “true peace will not be achieved without a return to international law, international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.” It demanded the US administration to annul previous wrong policies starting with the one on Jerusalem and ending with support for settlements and rejecting the two-state solution.
The resolution, proposed by Democratic member of Congress, Alan Lowenthal and endorsed by members of both Democratic and Republican parties, is in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions, the latest of which was resolution 2334 of 2016, the President stated.
Representative Lowenthal tweeted after the passage of the resolution stating, “Proud to see the House pass my bipartisan resolution to affirm our support for a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians. We took a stand for a just peace which safeguards human rights and security, and stands against unilateral annexation and settlement expansion.”
Mike Pompeo
The resolution states that only the outcome of a two-state solution that enhances stability and security for Israel and Palestinians can both ensure the state of Israel’s survival as a Jewish and democratic state and fulfill the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a state of their own
The House of Representatives on Friday approved a resolution in contradiction to the administration's position on settlements and calling for the United States' efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a negotiated two-state solution.
The vote took place less than one month after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's announcement that the administration has reversed its position regarding the legality of West Bank settlements.
"This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that only a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can ensure Israel's survival as a secure Jewish and democratic state and fulfill the legitimate aspirations for a Palestinian state." the resolution reads.
It also expresses the sense that any U.S. proposal to achieve a just, stable, and lasting solution should expressly endorse a two-state solution and discourage steps that would put a peaceful resolution further out of reach.
The motion was introduced by Representative Alan S. Lowenthal (D.) and had some Republican support.
The motions passed with 226 votes to 188
The resolution states that only the outcome of a two-state solution that enhances stability and security for Israel, Palestinians, and their neighbors can both ensure the state of Israel’s survival as a Jewish and democratic state and fulfill the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a state of their own.
It also stated that the United States proposal to achieve a just, stable, and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should expressly endorse a two-state solution as its objective and discourage steps by either side that would put a peaceful end to the conflict further out of reach, including unilateral annexation of territory or efforts to achieve Palestinian statehood status outside the framework of negotiations with Israel.
The President of JStreet, Jeremy Ben Ami posted on twitter that with this vote, "the majority of lawmakers have rejected the Trump administration’s embrace of the Israeli settlement movement’s agenda, which undermines US interests, imperils Israel’s future and tramples on Palestinian rights.”
The resolution was opposed by Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib who accused Israel of perpetuating “inequality, ethnic discrimination, and inhumane conditions.”
Tlaib also said that “Israel’s Nation-State law, which states that only Jews have the right to self-determination has eliminated the political rights of the Palestinian people and effectively made them second-class citizens.”
The resolution states that only the outcome of a two-state solution that enhances stability and security for Israel and Palestinians can both ensure the state of Israel’s survival as a Jewish and democratic state and fulfill the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a state of their own
The House of Representatives on Friday approved a resolution in contradiction to the administration's position on settlements and calling for the United States' efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a negotiated two-state solution.
The vote took place less than one month after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's announcement that the administration has reversed its position regarding the legality of West Bank settlements.
"This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that only a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can ensure Israel's survival as a secure Jewish and democratic state and fulfill the legitimate aspirations for a Palestinian state." the resolution reads.
It also expresses the sense that any U.S. proposal to achieve a just, stable, and lasting solution should expressly endorse a two-state solution and discourage steps that would put a peaceful resolution further out of reach.
The motion was introduced by Representative Alan S. Lowenthal (D.) and had some Republican support.
The motions passed with 226 votes to 188
The resolution states that only the outcome of a two-state solution that enhances stability and security for Israel, Palestinians, and their neighbors can both ensure the state of Israel’s survival as a Jewish and democratic state and fulfill the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a state of their own.
It also stated that the United States proposal to achieve a just, stable, and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should expressly endorse a two-state solution as its objective and discourage steps by either side that would put a peaceful end to the conflict further out of reach, including unilateral annexation of territory or efforts to achieve Palestinian statehood status outside the framework of negotiations with Israel.
The President of JStreet, Jeremy Ben Ami posted on twitter that with this vote, "the majority of lawmakers have rejected the Trump administration’s embrace of the Israeli settlement movement’s agenda, which undermines US interests, imperils Israel’s future and tramples on Palestinian rights.”
The resolution was opposed by Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib who accused Israel of perpetuating “inequality, ethnic discrimination, and inhumane conditions.”
Tlaib also said that “Israel’s Nation-State law, which states that only Jews have the right to self-determination has eliminated the political rights of the Palestinian people and effectively made them second-class citizens.”
5 dec 2019
The UN General Assembly last Tuesday adopted four pro-Palestine resolutions, which defended the pre-1967 borders between Palestine and Israel and renewed the mandates of two UN Palestine bodies.
After member states debated on the question of Palestine, the assembly voted on the four draft resolutions one by one. All documents were passed, two approved by an overwhelming majority.
"Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine," the resolution that won the most support (147 votes in favor, 7 against and 13 abstentions), called upon all states not to recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations.
It urged all states not to render aid or assistance to illegal settlement activities by Israel in its occupied Palestinian territory, and to ensure accountability consistent with international law.
The resolution entitled "Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People" requested the UN committee to redouble international efforts aimed at establishing an expanded multilateral framework for the revitalization of efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine.
It invited all governments and organizations to extend their cooperation to the committee to perform its tasks.
The two other resolutions, "Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat" and "Special information program on the question of Palestine of the Department of Global Communications," respectively renewed the mandates of the two UN bodies their titles referred to.
At the beginning of Tuesday's debate, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People presented its report to the General Assembly.
The committee underscored “the responsibility of states and private entities not to contribute to violations of Palestinian human rights, in particular with respect to settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem.”
The committee called unilateral decisions by UN member states to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the transfer of embassies in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as “null and void.”
"It calls upon the member states to rescind those decisions and respect the historic status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem, and to preserve the legal, demographic and historical multi-cultural and multi-religious status of the city," Adela Raz, rapporteur of the committee, who read the report, said.
The report made these recommendations in an apparent refutation to the United States' recent shift of position to no longer viewing Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory as illegal.
The recommendations also echoed the General Assembly's resolution that asked nations not to establish diplomatic missions in Jerusalem, adopted in 2017 after the United States moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
After member states debated on the question of Palestine, the assembly voted on the four draft resolutions one by one. All documents were passed, two approved by an overwhelming majority.
"Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine," the resolution that won the most support (147 votes in favor, 7 against and 13 abstentions), called upon all states not to recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations.
It urged all states not to render aid or assistance to illegal settlement activities by Israel in its occupied Palestinian territory, and to ensure accountability consistent with international law.
The resolution entitled "Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People" requested the UN committee to redouble international efforts aimed at establishing an expanded multilateral framework for the revitalization of efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine.
It invited all governments and organizations to extend their cooperation to the committee to perform its tasks.
The two other resolutions, "Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat" and "Special information program on the question of Palestine of the Department of Global Communications," respectively renewed the mandates of the two UN bodies their titles referred to.
At the beginning of Tuesday's debate, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People presented its report to the General Assembly.
The committee underscored “the responsibility of states and private entities not to contribute to violations of Palestinian human rights, in particular with respect to settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem.”
The committee called unilateral decisions by UN member states to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the transfer of embassies in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as “null and void.”
"It calls upon the member states to rescind those decisions and respect the historic status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem, and to preserve the legal, demographic and historical multi-cultural and multi-religious status of the city," Adela Raz, rapporteur of the committee, who read the report, said.
The report made these recommendations in an apparent refutation to the United States' recent shift of position to no longer viewing Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory as illegal.
The recommendations also echoed the General Assembly's resolution that asked nations not to establish diplomatic missions in Jerusalem, adopted in 2017 after the United States moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
4 dec 2019
Malaysia has opened an “Embassy to Palestine” in Jordan, after Israeli authorities purportedly refused to grant officials from the Southeast Asian country access to the seat of the Palestinian Authority, in the central occupied West Bank city of Ramallah.
Israeli English-language broadsheet newspaper, The Jerusalem Post, reported that the Israeli foreign ministry took the measure in response to what it described as various “anti-Semitic” and anti-Israel statements made by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
As a result, Malaysia opened an “Embassy to Palestine” in the Jordanian capital city of Amman, the report asserted.
This is while Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah had earlier stated that his country plans to open an embassy accredited to Palestine in Jordan because it has no diplomatic ties between Kuala Lumpur and Tel Aviv.
That is the main reason why we cannot open our office in Ramallah, in West Bank. If our embassy is opened in Ramallah, Malaysia will need to officially engage with Israel for logistics, administrative and immigration matters,” he said on October 31.
Saifuddin said the Malaysian government was taking the necessary steps in order to realize the opening of the embassy as soon as possible.
“Our ministry is in the midst of gathering information to implement this decision and getting feedback and experiences from parties that had opened diplomatic missions or embassies in Palestine,” he said then.
Al Ray further reports that, on October 25, Mahathir announced that Malaysia will open an embassy accredited to Palestine, to enable it to extend aid to Palestinians more easily.
On September 8 last year, Malaysia launched a national fundraising campaign to support Palestine refugees, through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
The campaign sought to mobilize resources for the UNRWA at a time when the UN body faces a financial crisis after the United States, one of its leading supporters, announced its decision to no longer fund the agency.
Palestine currently has an embassy in Kuala Lumpur, and the diplomatic mission is headed by Ambassador Anwar al-Agha.
Malaysian Ambassador to Egypt, Mohd Haniff Abd Rahman, is accredited to Palestine.
Israeli English-language broadsheet newspaper, The Jerusalem Post, reported that the Israeli foreign ministry took the measure in response to what it described as various “anti-Semitic” and anti-Israel statements made by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
As a result, Malaysia opened an “Embassy to Palestine” in the Jordanian capital city of Amman, the report asserted.
This is while Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah had earlier stated that his country plans to open an embassy accredited to Palestine in Jordan because it has no diplomatic ties between Kuala Lumpur and Tel Aviv.
That is the main reason why we cannot open our office in Ramallah, in West Bank. If our embassy is opened in Ramallah, Malaysia will need to officially engage with Israel for logistics, administrative and immigration matters,” he said on October 31.
Saifuddin said the Malaysian government was taking the necessary steps in order to realize the opening of the embassy as soon as possible.
“Our ministry is in the midst of gathering information to implement this decision and getting feedback and experiences from parties that had opened diplomatic missions or embassies in Palestine,” he said then.
Al Ray further reports that, on October 25, Mahathir announced that Malaysia will open an embassy accredited to Palestine, to enable it to extend aid to Palestinians more easily.
On September 8 last year, Malaysia launched a national fundraising campaign to support Palestine refugees, through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
The campaign sought to mobilize resources for the UNRWA at a time when the UN body faces a financial crisis after the United States, one of its leading supporters, announced its decision to no longer fund the agency.
Palestine currently has an embassy in Kuala Lumpur, and the diplomatic mission is headed by Ambassador Anwar al-Agha.
Malaysian Ambassador to Egypt, Mohd Haniff Abd Rahman, is accredited to Palestine.
29 nov 2019
“There must be an urgent call for concrete action and legislation to comprehensively liberate Palestine…The lack of determined political will has stolen the lives of many Palestinians,” said South African Minister of Public Enterprises, Patricia De Lille, on Thursday.
De Lille made the comments while speaking to members of the diplomatic corps at the Department of International Relations and Co-operation in Pretoria during a commemoration of the United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
The minister also reiterated the South African government’s commitment to the Palestinian cause. Frustrated by Israel’s lack of action and will to end its occupation of Palestine, Pretoria has begun the process of downgrading its embassy in Tel Aviv.
“The need for international support for Palestine is now even greater,” said outgoing Palestinian ambassador to South Africa, Hashem Dajani, in an interview with the Afro-Palestine Newswire Service.
Emboldened by support from Donald Trump and a largely silent international community, Dajani explained that Israel has continued its construction of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem and tightened its blockade of the Gaza Strip.
South African civil society groups were encouraged by De Lille’s statements. “The South African government has a historic, moral, legal and political obligation to lead a strategy towards full implementation of sanctions through the UN against apartheid Israel,” said Allan Kolski Horwitz of South African Jews for a Free Palestine.
Similar commemorations were also held in Ghana, Senegal, Zambia, Mali, Ivory Coast and Zimbabwe, as African support for Palestine remains strong.
In 1977, the UN General Assembly called for the annual observance of 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
De Lille made the comments while speaking to members of the diplomatic corps at the Department of International Relations and Co-operation in Pretoria during a commemoration of the United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
The minister also reiterated the South African government’s commitment to the Palestinian cause. Frustrated by Israel’s lack of action and will to end its occupation of Palestine, Pretoria has begun the process of downgrading its embassy in Tel Aviv.
“The need for international support for Palestine is now even greater,” said outgoing Palestinian ambassador to South Africa, Hashem Dajani, in an interview with the Afro-Palestine Newswire Service.
Emboldened by support from Donald Trump and a largely silent international community, Dajani explained that Israel has continued its construction of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem and tightened its blockade of the Gaza Strip.
South African civil society groups were encouraged by De Lille’s statements. “The South African government has a historic, moral, legal and political obligation to lead a strategy towards full implementation of sanctions through the UN against apartheid Israel,” said Allan Kolski Horwitz of South African Jews for a Free Palestine.
Similar commemorations were also held in Ghana, Senegal, Zambia, Mali, Ivory Coast and Zimbabwe, as African support for Palestine remains strong.
In 1977, the UN General Assembly called for the annual observance of 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
