Jamaica is among the 143 countries that voted in favour of the resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly earlier today, which calls on the Security Council to favourably reconsider the application of Palestine for Membership of the United Nations (UN). Recognising that the granting of membership resides with the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Security Council, the resolution calls on the Council to act, and expands the rights of the State of Palestine as a Permanent Observer in the General Assembly. Nine countries voted against the resolution while 25 countries abstained.
In welcoming the result, Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, pointed out that “since Jamaica took the decision to recognise the State of Palestine on April 22, Trinidad and Tobago and The Bahamas have also done so, bringing the number of Member States within CARICOM recognizing the State of Palestine, to 14”.
“Jamaica has long maintained a balanced position in support of a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with a two-state solution that guarantees the security of Israel and the right of Palestine to an independent, viable and sovereign state within the pre-1967 borders. Our support for this vote takes place in the context of our having been lending our voice to efforts at the regional and multilateral levels to bring an end to the hostilities, to ensure access to unhindered humanitarian aid, and to support efforts for de-escalation and the establishment of lasting peace in the region”, the Foreign Minister continued.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Brian Wallace, Jamaica’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, reiterated the importance of Jamaica’s support for the resolution and explained that Jamaica’s consideration of the matter is also based on, “our commitment to the UN Charter, our strong advocacy for the right of peoples to self-determination, our fundamental belief in multilateralism and the rule of law, and the promotion of human rights and international humanitarian law.” In support of this position, Jamaica calls for the UN Security Council to revisit the application for UN membership of the State of Palestine.
Last month, Palestine renewed its application to become the 194th member of the United Nations. The Charter of the United Nations requires that applications be considered by the Security Council and, if there is agreement, be recommended to the General Assembly for action. The request was not endorsed by all members of the Council when it last met on April 18
