Jordan's envoy to the UN Dina Kawar stressed that the Kingdom was and would remain at the forefront of global efforts to defend the rights of Palestinians.
During the U.N. Security council vote on a draft resolution on Palestinian statehood calling for Israel, within three years, to withdraw from the Palestinian territory it has occupied since 1967 and within one year reach a negotiated solution to the conflict, Kawar explained that Jordan had submitted the draft resolution on behalf of the Arab Group, based on the belief that the council must act on legitimate Palestinian aspirations in accordance with its resolutions.
"The fact that the resolution was not adopted will not stop Jordan from working to arrange negotiations within a reasonable timeframe and resolve all outstanding issues in line with Jordanian interests, Kawar added.
The draft, Jordan's envoy explained, must not be interpreted in any way as a change in Jordan’s position or as a unilateral step. Rather, it was an attempt to remove the blockages placed by Israel and end all actions on the ground that made the two-State solution less achievable each day.
The status quo cannot continue; all efforts to achieve a just and lasting solution must be made until there is a viable Palestinian State, Kawar stressed.
Jordan had requested the vote following a meeting of Arab ambassadors to discuss the draft resolution, which set a 12-month deadline to broker a final peace agreement with Israel
The long-anticipated draft drew support from only eight countries: Argentina, Chad, Chile, China, France, Jordan, Luxembourg, and the Russian Federation. Five Council members---the United Kingdom, Nigeria, the Republic of Korea, Rwanda and Lithuania had abstained, while the United States and Australia opposed it.