Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The European Union praised the outcome of the important vote held in the United Nations General Assembly on the Palestinian application for membership in the United Nations, as the majority of countries voted in favour.
According to a statement issued in Brussels by the office of European Foreign Policy Coordinator Josep Borrell, Palestine has received unequivocal support to strengthen its permanent observer status with additional rights and privileges.
The European Union noted its long-term commitment to reaching a just and comprehensive solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, on the basis of a two-state solution, with the State of Israel and the independent, democratic, continuous, sovereign and viable State of Palestine existing side by side in peace, security and mutual recognition, with Jerusalem as the future capital of both states. . The European Union will continue its strong support for building the Palestinian state, and strengthening Palestinian institutions and capabilities in preparation for the establishment of the future state.
It is necessary to restore the political horizon towards a two-state solution. The European Union is ready to work with Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and regional and international parties to achieve this goal.
By a majority of 143 votes, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution supporting Palestine’s application for full membership in the United Nations, and recommending that the Security Council reconsider the application. It also identifies ways to implement additional rights and privileges related to Palestine's participation in the United Nations.
143 members voted in favor of the resolution, which was presented by the United Arab Emirates - in its capacity as President of the Arab Group during the current month, 9 opposed it, while 25 abstained from voting. Adoption of the resolution required the support of two-thirds of the number of Member States present and voting.
The resolution affirms the General Assembly's conviction that the State of Palestine is fully qualified for membership in the United Nations in accordance with its Charter, and indicates widespread support from the organization's member states for accepting Palestine as a member.
On the other hand, and in the same regard, the European Union condemned the two deliberate attacks that took place on the UNRWA compound in occupied East Jerusalem on May 9, which occurred at a time of increasing escalation and an increasing campaign against the agency and the United Nations system as a whole.
A European statement in Brussels said, "We call on the Israeli authorities to ensure the security and safety of United Nations staff and buildings in line with their obligations under international law and to bring the perpetrators to justice."
UNRWA services and humanitarian assistance in Gaza and throughout the region are essential and play a crucial role in ensuring stability.
The European Union also condemns recent statements made by Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Aryeh King, which appear to incite further attacks against diplomatic buildings. We call on the Israeli authorities to take the necessary measures to prevent this from happening.
Jonathan Fowler, an official in the media department at UNRWA, said that setting fire to the vicinity of the agency’s headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem on Thursday almost caused a “terrible disaster,” not only for the complex, but also for the nearby residential buildings. Fowler was at UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem at the time of the incident. Due to the repeated attacks on this headquarters, UNRWA decided to close it "until adequate security is restored."