Palestinian UN envoy calls for solution to Palestinian question

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian envoy said here on Thursday that the Palestinians remained resolute in calling for the application of international law to solve the Palestinian issue.

Addressing a UN Security Council debate on Palestinian question, Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, said that 2017 "ended on a disheartening note as the world bore witness to decisions denigrating the Palestinian people's rights and national aspirations, dismissing the global consensus that had prevailed for decades."

Nevertheless, he said he has found solace and hope in the resounding rejection of such decisions and the unequivocal reaffirmations of respect for the legal, political and historic status of the city of Jerusalem.

Palestine's position rejecting the Dec. 6 2017 decision on Jerusalem by the United States had been fully conveyed to the Council and remained unwavering, he said, adding that "we remain insistent on respect for the law and our rights, and we reject this unilateral, provocative decision, which directly contravenes the Charter and United Nations resolutions on the matter."

He appealed for compassion and the upholding of humanitarian law and principles of collective responsibilities, urging donors to enhance support to the UN Relief Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA).

In the span of a year, Palestinians had seen their hopes for peace rise up, only to be suddenly dashed, he said.

Now was the time for collective action in following up on the explicit calls made in resolution 2334 (2016). It was also time for the international community "to mobilize the political will to implement the relevant resolutions and revive the peace option," averting the grave impact the continued unravelling of the situation would have regionally and globally, said Mansour.

The Security Council convened its quarterly open debate under the agenda item "the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question" on Thursday. It was the first meeting focusing on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict since the six new elected members joined the Council for 2018. Enditem