The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) has welcomed Australia’s vote in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution calling on the Security Council to reconsider granting Palestine full membership of the global body, and expanding Palestine’s observer rights at the UN.
The overwhelming support of the resolution – with 143 states voting in favour, nine voting against and 25 abstaining – demonstrates that the international community sees the need for the recognition of self-determination for Palestine, and that Israel is increasingly isolated on the world stage.
It was disappointing that the resolution was watered down in the final moments before the vote, to only grant Palestine an extension of its observer rights, rather than full membership and the right to vote in the assembly.
But with Israel continuing its occupation of Palestine and genocide in Gaza, this move is entirely inadequate and profoundly unjust, and does nothing to address Israel’s ongoing violations of international law and its failure to abide by UN resolutions 181 and 194.
Australia, and the international community, must use all diplomatic and economic means to end Israel’s assault on Rafah, its genocide in Gaza and its ongoing Nakba in Palestine.
Quotes attributed to APAN President Nasser Mashni:
“We welcome Australia’s vote as a favourable move towards a serious international commitment to Palestinian self-determination.
“However, it is disappointing that after 76 years Palestinian rights are still held hostage by an international institution that has failed Palestinains time and time again.
“Israel’s own membership in the UN is illegitimate, with this rogue state having failed to abide by UN resolutions 181 and 194, both of which were preconditions of its membership status.
“Even with this successful resolution, the UN has still failed to recognise Palestinians’ basic, inherent right to participate in decision-making about issues that directly affect their lives and political aspirations.
“Peace and security, for both Palestinians and Israelis, depends upon Israel ending its genocide and its policies of occupation and apartheid. And peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis are intimately and inextricably connected to a guarantee of equality, full rights and justice for all people between the river and the sea.
“These rights and justice must not be blocked or used as trading cards by Israel or its backers to shore up this rogue state’s own political survival or consolidate its colonial expansion in Palestine.”