Kenya backs Palestinian bid for full UN membership » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 11– Kenya on Friday joined 142 States to back the bid by the State of Palestine to become a full member of the United Nations.
The 193-member General Assembly adopted a resolution giving Palestinians additional rights and privileges, with 25 states, including Malawi and Canada abstaining.
The United States and Israel were among the nine states that voted against the resolution.
The Resolution does not give Palestine full UN membership but recognizes it as qualified to join the world’s most powerful diplomatic and political organ.
The Security Council, where the US enjoys veto powers, exclusively grants Membership of the UN under Rule 136.
The US vetoed a resolution for full membership to the UN on April 18.
Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Martin Kimani told the Assembly that Kenya fully supports Palestinian’s right to self-determination and urged the Security Council to reconsider the application as soon as possible.
“We [Kenya] cannot deny others who legitimately seek self-determination any more than we can deny our very being as a nation,” Ambassador Kimani told the Assembly during the Tenth Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly in New York.
“The Palestinian people aspire for all facets of their governance to be sovereign and peace-loving, and to be reflected in a state that embraces the obligations of full membership, as demanded by Article 4 of the UN Charter.”
Consistent policy
Amb Kimani stated that Kenya has over the years “consistently” backed multiple resolutions that advocate for Palestinian statehood and self-determination.
He added that Kenya’s commitment is “firmly held” in its belief that full membership in the UN is foundational to any state’s sovereignty and equality.
“We therefore urge a united Security Council to play its role in supporting the conditions for the secure and peaceful existence of Palestinian independence,” he said.
Kenya’s appeal comes even as the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) step up their offensive in Gaza as they continue to battle Hamas terrorist outfit in response to the October 7, 2023 attack that left over 1200 dead and the abduction of 240 civilians and soldiers.
The Israeli response has left thousands of Palestinians dead with the latest figures showing over 34,000 dead and over 78,000 dead prompting international calls for a ceasefire.
Weighing in on the matter, Ambassador Kimani maintained calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, “unconditional release of all hostages, followed by a resumption of dialogue without preconditions aimed at realistically achieving the two-state solution.”
He noted that the scale and intensity of the military operations in Gaza have led to severe humanitarian harm, adding that multiple reports indicate that many of the casualties are non-combatants, including children.
He appealed to all states, leaders, and organisations with influence on Israeli and Palestinian leadership to make every effort to encourage and facilitate a ceasefire and the resumption of dialogue.
“This is the only way to marginalise extremists who find relevance and agency in violence,” he said.
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