The Palestinian National Council (PNC) has welcomed the recent adoption of seven resolutions in favor of Palestine by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The resolutions, passed through the Fourth Committee, which focuses on Special Political and Decolonization matters, reaffirm the international community’s commitment to the rights of the Palestinian people.
Ruh Rohi Fattouh, head of the PNC, stated that the votes in support of resolutions concerning assistance to Palestinian refugees, the extension of UNRWA’s mandate, and the protection of refugee properties and rights, send a clear message. This message, he emphasized, rejects any infringement upon the international mandate granted to UNRWA, and upholds the status of Palestinian refugees as defined by international legitimacy resolutions.
The PNC head also highlighted the significance of the UNGA’s condemnation of actions violating human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, and its rejection of settlement policies. Fattouh asserted that these actions reflect a firm international stance against such practices, deeming them violations of international law and the Geneva Conventions.
Furthermore, Fattouh commended the renewal of the mandate for the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories. He described it as a crucial monitoring mechanism for documenting violations. He also called for the strengthening of its mandate to enable it to perform its tasks effectively.
Fattouh emphasized that these resolutions demonstrate the international community’s alignment with justice and international law. He sees it as a referendum on the necessity of ending the occupation. He urged member states to translate these resolutions into practical steps, hold the Israeli occupation accountable, provide international protection for the Palestinian people, and support their right to self-determination. This includes the establishment of an independent state on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He reaffirmed the importance of continued Palestinian diplomatic and legal efforts to defend national rights. Fattouh considers the renewed international support as a significant milestone in the path towards ending the occupation and achieving a just peace.
