UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan urged the United Nations General Assembly to push the Security Council to reconsider and endorse Palestine’s application for full UN membership to address the historical injustice against the Palestinian people.
Ambassador Munir Akram emphasized in a meeting, triggered by a United States’ veto that blocked an Algerian resolution on April 18, the significance of admitting Palestine as a full member of the UN.
He stated, “The admission of the State of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations would constitute a concrete political step towards the two-state solution and towards rectifying the historic injustice against the Palestinian people.”
The meeting was prompted by the “veto initiative,” an Assembly resolution adopted in April 2022, allowing for a General Assembly debate when a veto is cast in the Security Council. According to this measure, the Assembly has a standing mandate to convene within 10 working days of a veto being cast in the Council.
Palestine currently holds the status of a “Permanent Observer State” at the UN, permitting participation in all UN proceedings except voting on draft resolutions and decisions in its main organs and bodies.
Ambassador Akram criticized the veto cast against Palestine’s admission, stating it undermines the credibility of support for the two-state solution. He appealed for the veto to be lifted and for Palestine’s admission to be recommended by the Security Council to enhance peace efforts in the region.
Ambassador Akram urged the UN and the international community to enforce an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, ensure unrestricted access to humanitarian aid, prevent further conflict escalation, provide international protection for Palestinians, revive the peace process, and hold Israel accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
He condemned Israel for recent war crimes in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of over 35,000 Palestinian civilians, indiscriminate bombing, and the blockade of humanitarian aid.
Ambassador Akram criticized the Israeli representative for making baseless accusations against Islamic countries, stating that Pakistan acts by international law.
—APP
