World: International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People

Since 1977, the United Nations commemorates the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People every Nov. 29, with the aim of focusing attention on the fact that the question of Palestine has not yet been resolved.

RELATED:
Israel Starts Building Largest Settlement in East Jerusalem

The date was chosen for its importance to the Palestinian people, since in 1947, the General Assembly of the United Nations passed resolution 181, later known as the "Resolution of the Partition", which stipulated the creation of a "Jewish State" and an "Arab State" in Palestine, with Jerusalem as a shared capital. However, to date, only Israel has been created.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message of congratulations to the Palestinian people in which he also advocated the two-state solution, and the creation of an atmosphere conducive to the resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel.

For his part, the permanent representative of Egypt to the Arab League, Alaa Roshdi, said that the Egyptian government will continue to support all efforts to reach a final agreement that allows Palestinians to recover their legitimate rights and establish an independent State.

Roshdi also stated that Egypt is doing everything possible to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinians in the blocked Gaza Strip and to counter any attempt to destroy that coastal enclave.

Similarly, senior officials joined ambassadors and other representatives from the international community in New York on Wednesday to commemorate this international day.

In his message for this day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains one of the most intractable challenges facing the international community.

“Only constructive negotiations between the parties, in good faith, with support from the international community and adhering to long-standing United Nations resolutions and long-agreed parameters, will bring about a just and durable solution”, the UN chief said.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the Palestinian people have endured more than 70 years of tragedies and crises, yet remain steadfast.

“The State of Palestine will continue engaging in efforts aimed to advance the rule of international law, including through the building of our national institutions, spreading the culture of peace and empowering our people, especially women and youth,” Abbas said.

He also condemned as a violation of international law U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's recent announcement that Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank were "not per se inconsistent with international law." "Such unlawful statements and decisions by the United States only embolden the Israeli government in perpetuating its occupation and in accelerating its settlement activities and in further committing crime," Palestinian Authority said.

The roughly eight million Palestinians live primarily in territory occupied by Israel, but also across the Middle East in countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.