On Monday, a panel of United Nations officials called on all the organization’s members to support a Palestinian state.
In a news release, the 26 participants described formal recognition as an "important acknowledgement of the rights of the Palestinian people and their struggles and suffering towards freedom and independence."
"This is a pre-condition for lasting peace in Palestine and the entire Middle East -- beginning with the immediate declaration of a cease-fire in Gaza and no further military incursions into Rafah," the statement continued.
In addition to calling for the establishment of Palestinian sovereignty in the area, the report’s authors also praised the recent issuing of arrest warrants for Israel and the Hamas terrorist organization by the International Criminal Court as “a promise of accountability.”
The proposal comes as the U.N. General Assembly voted 143 – 9 last month to promote Ramallah’s delegation to an “observer state” after a bid for full membership failed in April because of a U.S. veto in the Security Council.
Palestinian statehood has long faced opposition from Israel, the United States, and several other Western countries that believe such a matter should only be resolved as part of a final peace agreement in the region.
Related Story: U.N. General Assembly Overwhelmingly Votes to Promote the Palestinian Delegation
