The Party of the European Left (EL) congratulates the Palestinian people and shares its happiness and hope on this historic day when the General Assembly of the United Nations grants an observatory status – not a member status – to the Palestinian state, with all its positive aspects that come along with it. The resolution text promoted by the PLO, approved during the evening of the 29th of November, reaffirms "the right to self-determination and the Independence of the occupied Palestinian territories since 1967" according to resolution 242 of the Security Council which asks the immediate withdrawal of Israel from the annexed territories during the Six Day War.
It’s a big diplomatic victory which represents a first step towards the construction of a sovereign and internationally recognized Palestinian state. It would put an end to military occupation and to the Israeli settlements, the return of the refugees, the release of prisoners and the lifting of the blockade of Gaza. On this way, which will not be an easy one, the Party of the European Left will continue to support the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people and their right to live in peace. In the meantime, the EL will continue to seek the implementation of international law denouncing the crimes and violations carried out by the Israeli army, as well as the threats of economic boycott that they could pursue as a possibility to retain the money from Palestinian exports which would in turn choke once again the population of Gaza, subjected to the Israeli blockade for years now.
65 years had to pass since a day like today, the 29th of November of 1947, a much sadder day back then, when the UN General Assembly decided the partition of Palestine into two states, an Arab and a Jewish one. Before that, the country had been under British mandate. The Jewish Zionists, non-Zionists and Antizionists did not reach a third of the people and possessed 7% of the territory. The UN assigned them 55% of the territory. Since then the Zionist politics was to occupy more territory with less Arabs. The continuous policy of systematic human rights violations has made over 4,5 millions of Palestinians to become refugees who then waited for decades for their return. Decades of terror, death, exile, torture, detentions, misery and violations of all kinds were exercised upon all the Palestinian people through the powerful hand of Israel who acted unpunished with the silence and the backing of the great powers. Today is once again a historic day for the Palestinian people. A day of happiness and hope for all the peoples of the world who support them beyond the interests their governments and powers can have towards the government of Israel. After this international backing granted to Palestine, the EL hopes that from now on the foreign policy of the European Union regarding the violations by Israel will be clearer and more forceful.
Party of the European Left, 29.11.2012