(The following message was delivered by the Ambassador of the State of Palestine in Tanzania, H E Dr Nasri Abujaish, at the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People held in Dar es Salaam on 5 December 2011)
“For us Palestinians November is the month when we remember our founding Chairman Yassir Arafat who died on 11 November 2005. He was the one who symbolised our struggle for freedom, nationhood and national self-determination. In that sense he was the Father of our Nation and so we sadly remember his passing away every year on 11 November
Also on 15 November every year we remember the day when Chairman Arafat declared the Independent State of Palestine on 15 November 1988. The declaration of this State was made while the Palestinian leadership was in exile, during the 18th conference of the National Palestine council that met in Algeria. At that time 110 countries recognised the Statehood of Palestine, while today we are recognised by 130 countries all over the world
We are thankful to the UNGA for adopting on 29 November 1977 this Day of Solidarity with Palestinians which coincided with the passing by the UN of the Partition Plan on 29 November 1947.
Yet we think the UN needs to do more than just ritual observation of annual Palestine Day. It has to admit Palestine as full member of the UN, something that should have happened in 1947.
For the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine was created Resolution 181 was adopted by the UN General Assembly, which gave Israel 55 percent of the Palestinian land, yet in 1948 it grabbed 78 percent from Palestine and in 1967 it occupied the whole of Palestine
This led to the creation of Israel and subsequent expulsion of more than 800,000 Palestinians from their historical land. It was the ethnic cleansing of 1947-48 that is today remembered by Palestinians as the historic catastrophe (al Nakba) during which almost 500 towns and villages were destroyed
When the Palestine “problem” was created by Britain in 1917 through its Balfour Declaration, more than 90% of the population of Palestine were Arabs (Muslims and Christians) while most of the Jews living in Palestine at that time were recent immigrants, who had come to Palestine to escape persecution in Europe. In other words, the colony powers solved the problem in Europe by creating crisis in Palestine. As the result Palestinians were forced into exile in 1948 and again in 1967 and today there are around seven millions Palestinian refugees.
The core issue here is that the Israeli government refuses any commitment to terms of reference for the negotiations , and refuses to implement all U N resolutions 181, 242 , 338 , and continues to intensify its occupation through building of settlements , violating international laws .
The reports of United Nations missions as well as by several Israeli institutions and civil societies convey a horrific picture about the size of the settlement campaign, which the Israeli government does not hesitate to boast about and which it continues to execute through the systematic confiscation of the Palestinian lands and the construction of thousands of new settlement units in various areas of the West Bank, particularly in East Jerusalem, and accelerated construction of the annexation Wall that is eating up large tracts of our land, dividing it into separate and isolated islands and cantons .
The Israeli occupation also continues to refuse permits for our people to build in Occupied East Jerusalem, at the same time intensify its campaign of demolition and confiscation of homes, displacing Palestinian owners and residents under a multi- policies of ethnic cleansing aimed at pushing them away from their homeland.
Israel continues to undertake excavations under Al AQSA Mosque , that threaten our holy places, and its military checkpoints prevent our citizens from getting access to their mosques and churches, and it continues to besiege the Holy City with a ring of settlements imposed to separate the Holy City from the rest of the Palestinian cities.
At the same time, the occupying Power continues to impose its blockade on the Gaza Strip and to target Palestinian civilians by assassinations and air strikes. Three years ago they inflicted on the people of Gaza massive destruction of their homes, schools, hospitals, causing thousands of martyrs and wounded.
These are just a few testimonies on the Israeli occupation policy, and this policy is responsible for the continued failure of the successive international attempts to salvage the peace process.
Because of the impunity of Israel and its violation of the international law, it has rightly been compared to the apartheid South Africa. I was once approached by one ambassador who advised me not to draw the parallel by referring to Israel as an apartheid state.
Yet this description is globally acceptable. Indeed even Israelis themselves have come to condemn their state as apartheid regime. One of them is former military intelligence, Amos Schocken. Writing for an Israeli daily, Ha’aretz, he said Israel has been denying Palestinians their rights, expelling them from their land, confiscating their properties, burning down their farms and uprooting their trees. The Wall has separated Palestinian families, denying them the right of movement.
In conclusion he said there are many similarities between Israel and apartheid South Africa
Palestinians have suffered enough. It is now high time they were given their rightful and legitimate place in the international community
Yet, because we believe in peace , and in the absence of absolute justice, we decided to adopt the path of relative justice - justice that is possible and could correct part of the grave historical injustice committed against our people.
Thus, we agreed to establish the State of Palestine on only 22% of the territory of historical Palestine – meaning only on all the Palestinian Territory occupied by Israel in 1967. So on 23 September 2011 Palestine presented to the UN an application for full membership of the State of Palestine .
In his historic address to the UN General Assembly the President of Palestine , H .E Mahmoud Abbas, told member states: "It is a moment of truth and my people are waiting to hear the answer of the world. After 63 years of suffering: enough, enough, enough."
Our bid for membership is pending in the Security Council as we need at least 9 yes votes without useing veto . Despite considerable pressure being exerted by USA we are hopeful that we shall eventually be accepted as full member, for we are determined to go on knocking at the UN door. Those who trumpet about peace, justice and democracy while denying the same to the people of Palestine are bound to fail in the end
For we know that the world is with us. We thank all the countries that have been constantly supporting our rights .
Apart from full UN membership we are glad that we have been admitted as full member of UNESCO. Our struggle continues as we are going to apply for membership to other international bodies .
Meanwhile, the UN General Assembly has just adopted, 12 resolutions on the “Question of Palestine” They addressed issues such as illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine, East Jerusalem is occupied teretory , self determination and others , the Assembly adopted the resolutions , by 168 in favour to 7 against and 4 abstentions .
Once again we thank all the countries that supported us and continue supporting our legitemate rights, particulary Tanzanian government leadership and people, for the principled stand they have been taking regarding the issue of Palestine.
Please allow me, on behalf of my President Mr. Mahmud Abass and Palestinians and on my behalf to express sincere congratulations to Tanzanian leadership, Government and People on the 50th Anniversary of Independence. I wish them progress and prosperity.”
Toa Maoni Yako:
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