D-8 affirms support for Palestine full UN membership News
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D-8 affirms support for Palestine full UN membership

The Developing Eight Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8) affirmed their support for the full membership of Palestine in the UN and all resolutions related to the Palestinian cause in international fora in a joint declaration released on Saturday. This declaration was a result of the extraordinary meeting of the D-8 Council of Ministers on the situation in Gaza, held in Istanbul on June 8, 2024.

The D-8, comprising Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Türkiye, utterly condemned the brutal Israeli military aggression against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The declaration demanded an immediate, permanent and unconditional ceasefire, the complete cessation of Israeli hostilities, and full implementation of relevant UN resolutions, particularly Security Council Resolution 2728 (2024) which mandates an instantaneous ceasefire in Gaza and urgent provision of humanitarian aid, medical relief, basic services and supplies.

Furthermore, the D-8 categorically rejected, by any means, forced displacement or expulsion of Palestinians from their lands, demanding their unconditional return to homes and properties. They reaffirmed the State of Palestine’s full sovereignty over Al-Quds Al-Sharif (East Jerusalem) as its eternal capital, deeming null and void under international law any Israeli decisions or measures attempting to alter the city’s character and historic status quo at holy sites per UN resolutions. The declaration underscored Israel’s obligation as the occupying power to uphold responsibilities by halting all illegal measures perpetuating the occupation, particularly settlement expansion.

Moreover, the D-8 urged all states to exert maximum diplomatic, political, economic and legal pressure on Israel to cease violations against Palestinians. It also demanded all countries halt arms supplies to Israel used against Palestinian civilians, and called on the US to rescind its veto blocking Palestine’s full UN membership bid as an independent, sovereign state.

Palestine currently holds only Permanent Observer State status at the UN, granted by the General Assembly in 2012 amid lack of Security Council approval for full membership at that time. It is worth noting that the US vetoed Palestine’s application for full UN membership in April 2024. The veto occurred as the UN Security Council was considering a resolution put forward by Algeria that would have granted Palestine full UN membership. Despite that, in May 2024, the General Assembly overwhelmingly backed a Palestinian bid to become a full member of the UN, recognizing it as qualified for membership and recommending that the UN Security Council “give favorable consideration to the matter,” with 143 nations supporting and only 9 opposing.

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