The Emotional Message from the Palestinian Delegate at a UN Session Following the US Veto
By
Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam
22 April
2024
Following The American Veto, The Palestinian Delegate
to The UN Sobbed During His Speech! The Palestinian Delegate's Tearful
Expression During the UN Session Brought Attention to The Suffering of The
People of Palestine Who Have Lost Hope for Full Membership. It Also Raises
Questions About Why the US Has Chosen to Maintain Friendly Relations with Israel
Despite Its Brutality and Barbarism in Gaza While Ignoring the Will of The
Majority of UN Members.
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(UN Session/File Photo)
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What led to
the creation of the United Nations? Its primary objective was to bring about
peace and security throughout the world, but how successful was this endeavour?
There are 193 members in all. Whenever a nation experiences a war, whether it
be state-level or caused by non-state terrorism, the overwhelming majority of
UN members have unquestionably always supported peace and security. The vast
majority of members continuously support Gaza, Palestinian security and peace,
and a peaceful resolution to the Palestine-Israel conflict. The question is
whether it is effective or not. Whenever Israel wills, it starts butchering
Gazans, demolishing their houses, businesses, schools, and hospitals, and
killing even a large number of UN personnel. Israel disregards the wishes of
the vast majority of its members. Its arrogance of power is always supported by
that which considers itself to be the world's dominant power. The fact that
America rules over the UN and that its policies are consistently perceived as
being against Palestine is another harsh reality. It exercises its veto power
anytime any plan does not serve its own interests. It does not respect even the
will of the majority.
Given this,
how respectable can it be for the Palestinian delegate to become emotional and
break down tears in front of the UN over not being approved as a full member of
the UN, while the US remains oblivious to the suffering of its people? How can
the United States of America—which never feels for humans, which keeps friendly
relations with Israel despite its brutality and barbarism, which shows no
concern for the lives of women, children, the elderly, or the weak in
Gaza—which has completely lost its humanitarian compassion—feel the suffering
of the Palestinian representative in the UN?
Generally,
when you lose something that holds great significance to you, you cry. The
Palestinian delegate most likely believed that Palestine would have been able
to speak in the Security Council on issues pertaining to peace and security had
it been granted full membership. Palestine might have increased its chances of
peace and stability and won the backing of more UN members in this way. But all
of its expectations were dashed. By using its veto power, the United States
crushed the hopes of the Palestinian people. Most UN members were deeply
concerned about why the US did not want Palestine to join the organisation as a
full member.
Among all
the pictures in the recent session of the UN, the Palestinian Representative's
heartbroken expression was a real, natural, instinctive portrayal of what
usually happens to humans when something important is lost. But human tears are
very precious and should not be wasted in front of a meaningless, transient,
mortal, and arrogant authority that uses its veto power to shatter human hopes
and disregard the will of the majority.
What Is the
Background?
Amid the
ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, Algeria presented a resolution to the
Security Council, urging full UN membership to the State of Palestine, with the
support of the Arab nations. After reviewing the proposal, the Security Council
recommended that the General Assembly take a vote and make a decision. Ammar
bin Jame, Algeria's Permanent Representative to the UN introduced the
resolution and stated that Palestine's permanent membership will put an end to
the long-standing injustice and make it abundantly evident that the global
community supports Palestine. However, the United States crushed all of
Palestine's hopes with its veto.
The
Security Council's approval of a resolution depends on the support of nine out
of fifteen members and the non-use of veto power by any of the five permanent
members, including the United States, Russia, Britain, China, and France.
Palestine now holds the status of a "permanent observer state" at the
UN, meaning that it can attend all of the sessions but is not allowed to cast a
vote on any resolutions. Furthermore, it is not permitted to take part in the
General Assembly's six major committees, the Security Council, or any other
decision-making body.
On April 2,
2024, Palestine sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General asking that its 2011
bid for full UN membership be given another look. It was recommended in the
resolution that Palestine be admitted as the 194th member of the United Nations
by the 193-member General Assembly. After the letter was received this month
and forwarded by the Secretary-General, the Security Council reviewed it in an
open session on April 8. The resolution was approved by 12 of the 15 Security
Council members, with the United States voting against it and Britain and
Switzerland abstaining from voting. Russia, China, France, Algeria, Malta,
Mozambique, Guyana, Ecuador, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Slovenia cast
votes in favour of the resolution. The United Nations overwhelmingly supported
the resolution, but the US veto prevented it from becoming effective.
US Deputy
Permanent Representative Robert Wood stated that the veto of the resolution on
the State of Palestine's full membership does not imply that the US is opposed
to the Palestinian state in his speech to the Security Council following the
veto. He stated that rather than using the UN, direct negotiations between the
parties should be used to establish the Palestinian state.
Recall that
140 countries have already approved of Palestine. The outpouring of sympathy
for the Palestinians, which corresponds with an increasing number of countries
recognising their state, is indicative of global solidarity for them. This is
most likely because the Gaza conflict is approaching its seventh month.
In his
address, Wesley Nabin Zia, Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, noted
that this is the fifth time the US has vetoed Security Council resolutions
during the ongoing Gaza crisis. He stated that the veto issued today
demonstrated that the United States does not believe that Palestinians should
have the right to exist as an independent state. The Russian envoy stated that
the United States is alone in this regard and that most of the world supports
the state of Palestine and its permanent membership in the UN.
China's
ambassador Fu Kang said in his speech that the Palestinian dream of becoming a
full member of the United Nations has once again been shattered. He said that
the situation has changed due to the ongoing occupation of the Palestinian
territories in the last thirteen years and it is not acceptable to question the
actions of the Palestinians. According to the Chinese envoy, Israel would find
it easier to discuss a two-state solution if Palestine were granted full
membership in the UN.
Mahmoud
Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, described the US veto as
"blatant aggression... which pushes the region ever further to the edge of
the abyss". The US veto was referred to as "unfair, unethical, and
unjustified" in a statement by the presidency. "The outcome of this resolution's vote
will not weaken our resolve or diminish our will," stated Palestinian
Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour following the vote. "We won't give up
on our efforts. Palestine will inevitably become a state. It's true," he
declared. "Remember that innocent people in Palestine are paying the price
with their lives once this session adjourns... for the delay in justice,
freedom, and peace," he continued.
Iran argued
that considering that no other Security Council member opposed Palestine from
becoming a full member of the UN, Washington's use of its veto was
"irresponsible." Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani stated,
"Washington's action exposed the fraudulent nature of US foreign policy
and its isolated position."
The foreign
ministry of Qatar stated it "considered it a sad day for justice and a
setback for efforts to bring peace to the region" and expressed "deep
regret" at the UNSC's "failure" to pass the resolution. It
demonstrated the council's "inability to carry out its mandate and
function within the framework of upholding international peace and security,
especially in view of the horrific conflict in the Gaza Strip that resulted in
the greatest humanitarian disaster," according to the statement.
Egypt's
foreign ministry also expressed "deep regret" over the UN Security
Council's failure to approve the resolution, pointing out that Palestine's
application to become a full member of the UN was accepted as a significant
milestone and an "inherent right of the Palestinian people."
"While
everyone is on the side of Palestine, unfortunately, America puts forward their
stance again by standing by the side of Israel," stated President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan. "We didn't expect anything different anyway," he
remarked.
Saudi
Arabia also regretted in a statement that the UNSC did not approve the
resolution.
In addition
to them, nations including Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Norway all
conveyed their sorrow at the veto from the United States.
The reason
the United Nations was established is a question at hand. The United Nations
was established to bring about peace and security worldwide, with 193 members.
The majority of UN members consistently support peace and security, notably in
Gaza, and a peaceful resolution to the Palestine-Israel conflict. However,
Israel's actions, such as butchering Gazans, demolishing businesses, schools,
hospitals, and killing UN personnel, disregard the wishes of the majority of
its members. The US, which rules over the UN and has policies perceived as
against Palestine, exercises veto power and does not respect the will of the
majority. This raises questions about the respectability of the Palestinian
delegate to the UN, who is emotional and breaks down tears in front of the UN
over not being approved as a full member. How can the United States of
America—which never feels for humans, which keeps friendly relations with
Israel despite its brutality and barbarism, which shows no concern for the
lives of women, children, the elderly, or the weak in Gaza—which has completely
lost its humanitarian compassion—feel the suffering of the Palestinian
representative in the UN???
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A regular Columnist with NewAgeIslam.com, Ghulam
Ghaus Siddiqi Dehlvi is a Classical Islamic scholar with a Sufi background and
an English-Arabic-Urdu Translator.
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-west/emotional-message-palestinian-un-session-us-veto/d/132183
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