The 79th session of the UN General Assembly flagged off in New York with the presence of the representative of Palestine, which had been given a seat in the General Assembly Hall, next to the UN member state. However, Palestine is not a full member of the 193 member UN body.
Confirming the new seating of the State of Palestine, the Palestine’s Permanent Mission to the UN posted a clip on social media.
A Point of Order Raised
The representative of Egypt reportedly raised a point of order to ask the President to confirm that the necessary arrangements have been made “This is not merely a procedural matter. This is a historic moment for us,” said Egyptian Ambassador Osama Mahmoud Abdelkhalek Mahmoud. To which the UNGA President replied: “I have been informed that all arrangements have been made to have Palestine seated where it is supposed to sit.”
Israel’s Take on the Move
The representative of Israel said that the Assembly’s decision in this matter is motivated by political favoritism, underscoring that UN membership and associated privileges are specifically reserved for sovereign States.
The Resolution
Earlier this year a resolution was adopted to recognise the reconsideration of Palestine’s UN membership in the UN Security Council and the granting of additional rights to Palestine, which holds observer status.
The resolution called for arrangements to allow Palestine to participate in General Assembly sessions, UN meetings and conferences, specifying that this would be done “on an exceptional basis and without setting a precedent.”The resolution had won a resounding majority of 143 votes in favor, including by India
Two State Solution and India
New Delhi has condemned any terrorist attack, including the October 7 attack by Hamas, it has also called for a homeland for Palestinians.
“We have supported a negotiated two-state solution, towards establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable state of Palestine within secure and recognised borders, living side by side in peace with Israel,” the Ministry of External Affairs reiterated in the Parliament in February.
The Summit of the Future
The landmark “Summit of the Future” which bring together world leaders together in New York will take place at UN Headquarters on September 22-23, just before the annual high-level debate of the General Assembly.
This year’s General Debate, starting from September 24 to September 30 has been themed “Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations.”
The aim of the summit is to secure a negotiated “Pact for the Future” designed to boost global cooperation to tackle current challenges effectively for future generations.
