Right of the Palestinian people to self-determination – GA Third Cttee meeting/Introduction of draft resolution – Press release (excerpts)

Third Committee

40^th Meeting (AM)

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Background

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Under the agenda item on the Report of the Human Rights Council a draft text on guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children (document A/C.3/64/L.50) was also being introduced, as were draft resolutions on the universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination (document A/C.3/64/L.51) and the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination (document A/C.3/64/L.56) under the agenda item on the right of peoples to self-determination.

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Introduction of Resolutions

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Next, the representative of Egypt introduced the draft resolution on right of the Palestinian people to self-determination (document A/C.3/64/L.56), saying that the Palestinian people had been continuously suffering under Israeli occupation, which denied them of their basic human rights, including their right to self-determination.

He noted that the text, which had 11 pre-ambular paragraphs and 2 operative paragraphs, was essentially the same as the draft adopted last year, except for technical updates.  It reaffirmed the right of self-determination, recalling that this right was reaffirmed in the United Nations Charter, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and the Millennium Declaration, among others. It also recalled the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of 9 July 2004 regarding the construction of the wall by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which found that the wall severely impeded the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.  The current text also called for the urgent resumption of peace negotiations and speedy conclusion of a peace settlement and stresses the need for the territorial integrity of the Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. It was only on such territory that a Palestinian State could be established.

He went to say that in its operative section the resolution affirms the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and urges all states and the specialized agencies of the United Nations system to continue to support the Palestinian people in the early realization of their right to self-determination. His delegation hoped that a strong signal would be sent to the Palestinian people through the adoption of this resolution.

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For information media • not an official record