Kuwait calls on Europe to vote in favour of Palestinian UN bid

Kuwait called on Europe on Wednesday to vote with one voice in support of the Palestinian bid to upgrade its diplomatic status in the UN. “I hope tomorrow Europe will vote with a strong voice. We have heard a lot that Europe wants to vote with one voice. Let us have a strong voice of Europe. I think that is where Europe will maintain its credibility in the Middle East,” Kuwait’s Ambassador to the European Union Nabeela Al-Mulla told the European Parliament. The UN General Assembly will vote on Thursday whether to recognise the Palestinians’ representation as that of a non-member observer “state”. Al-Mulla, the Dean of the Arab Diplomatic Corps in Belgium, noted that doubts have been expressed by some, while others try to belittle the Palestinian move. She noted there are five EU countries which had that kind of status before they became full UN members. These are Spain, Germany, Italy, Austria, and Finland. Kuwait news agency (KUNA) quoted Al-Mulla, who served as the deputy permanent representative of Kuwait at the UN in New York in the past, as saying that even Kuwait had, for a year, non-member status because of the opposition from the now defunct Soviet Union. “So this is not an anomaly,” she stressed. Wednesday’s debate was organised by the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council. Meanwhile, General Delegate of Palestine to the EU Leila Shahid said, “we are going to the UN not because we are against negotiations, but because of the fact that this desire for peace and this yearning for negotiations for the last 20 years has failed.” “We want the protection of the most advanced legal and diplomatic institution, which is the UN. She further stressed, “We are not asking you to give a state. The state exists.” Shahid remarked, “Military might not give the Israeli people a future.” On the contrary, it is a suicidal attitude. The two-state solution is being destroyed by Israel,” reiterated the diplomat. Arab League Ambassador to the EU Lahebib Adami for his part welcomed the European Parliament resolution last week calling on EU member states to support the Palestinian bid to become a UN non-member observer. “This reflects the will of this important region in the world. Peace cannot wait indefinitely,” he said. Adami described the Palestine issue as “a huge case of international injustice,” and stressed that Israel is not aiming for peace. A number of Members of European Parliament also addressed the meeting calling on the EU to support the Palestinian bid to become a UN non-member observer state.