The 79th session of the UN General Assembly began in New York with Palestine taking its seat in the General Assembly Hall next to the UN member states. Although Palestine is not a full member of the 193-member UN body, the Palestinian Authority’s envoy to the UN, Riyad Mansour, was seen seated at a table labelled “State of Palestine,” positioned between Sri Lanka and Sudan.
Philemon Yang, the newly elected President of the 79th General Assembly, has succeeded Dennis Francis. Yang emphasised the need to focus on resolving conflicts in Gaza, Haiti, and Ukraine, and stressed that human rights will remain central during his presidency.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres congratulated Yang and acknowledged that the 79th session begins amidst challenging times but with hope for positive change. Guterres emphasised the need for solutions to various global issues, including sustainable development, poverty, inequality, economic progress, climate change, and technological advancements.
A social media clip from Palestine’s Permanent Mission to the UN showed Egypt’s Ambassador and President of the General Assembly confirming Palestine’s new seating arrangement. Egyptian Ambassador Osama Mahmoud Abdelkhalek Mahmoud highlighted the historic significance of the moment, while the UNGA President assured that all arrangements for Palestine’s seating were in place.
Israel has criticized the move, arguing that the decision was influenced by political favouritism and asserting that UN membership and privileges are reserved for sovereign states only.
Earlier this year, on May 10, a resolution was passed to reconsider Palestine’s UN membership and grant it additional rights while retaining its observer status. The resolution, supported by 143 votes, including from India, allows Palestine to participate in General Assembly sessions, UN meetings, and conferences on an exceptional basis.
India has consistently supported a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. While condemning terrorist attacks, including the October 7 attack by Hamas, India advocates for the establishment of a sovereign, independent, and viable state of Palestine alongside Israel.
The “Summit of the Future” at the UN Headquarters on September 22-23 will precede the General Assembly’s high-level debate from September 24 to 30. This year’s debate, themed “Leaving no one behind: Acting together for peace, sustainable development, and human dignity,” aims to secure a “Pact for the Future” to boost global cooperation on pressing issues.
Philemon Yang, the newly elected President of the 79th General Assembly, has succeeded Dennis Francis. Yang emphasised the need to focus on resolving conflicts in Gaza, Haiti, and Ukraine, and stressed that human rights will remain central during his presidency.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres congratulated Yang and acknowledged that the 79th session begins amidst challenging times but with hope for positive change. Guterres emphasised the need for solutions to various global issues, including sustainable development, poverty, inequality, economic progress, climate change, and technological advancements.
A social media clip from Palestine’s Permanent Mission to the UN showed Egypt’s Ambassador and President of the General Assembly confirming Palestine’s new seating arrangement. Egyptian Ambassador Osama Mahmoud Abdelkhalek Mahmoud highlighted the historic significance of the moment, while the UNGA President assured that all arrangements for Palestine’s seating were in place.
Israel has criticized the move, arguing that the decision was influenced by political favouritism and asserting that UN membership and privileges are reserved for sovereign states only.
Earlier this year, on May 10, a resolution was passed to reconsider Palestine’s UN membership and grant it additional rights while retaining its observer status. The resolution, supported by 143 votes, including from India, allows Palestine to participate in General Assembly sessions, UN meetings, and conferences on an exceptional basis.
India has consistently supported a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. While condemning terrorist attacks, including the October 7 attack by Hamas, India advocates for the establishment of a sovereign, independent, and viable state of Palestine alongside Israel.
The “Summit of the Future” at the UN Headquarters on September 22-23 will precede the General Assembly’s high-level debate from September 24 to 30. This year’s debate, themed “Leaving no one behind: Acting together for peace, sustainable development, and human dignity,” aims to secure a “Pact for the Future” to boost global cooperation on pressing issues.
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