President William Ruto joined world leaders gathered at the United Nations on Monday to embrace a Palestinian state, a landmark diplomatic shift nearly two years into the Gaza war that faces fierce resistance from Israel and its close ally, the United States.
President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognise Palestine’s statehood at a meeting he convened with Saudi Arabia.
Ruto said Kenya is proud of its role as a steadfast defender of peace and stability, both within our region and across the world.
“We support the pursuit of lasting stability in the Middle East through a two-state solution, where Israel and Palestine live side by side in mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. Kenya has recognised the Statehood of Palestine since 1989,” Ruto said.
President Ruto shared as he shared pictures captioned ‘Attended the conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution on the sidelines of UNGA, New York’ on Monday night.
The meeting follows the General Assembly’s overwhelming endorsement of the outcome declaration from the first phase of the conference, which took place in July at UN Headquarters.
The UK, Canada, Australia and Portugal recognised a Palestinian State on Sunday, and President Macron announced that France would join them, to lengthy applause from delegates attending the meeting.
Alongside France, which co-convened the meeting with Saudi Arabia on Monday in New York, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta and Monaco said they were recognising a Palestinian state.
“The recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people takes nothing away from the rights of the people of Israel, whom France supported from Day One and to the respect of which it is staunchly committed,” he said.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres repeated his assertion that nothing can justify the horrific 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel nor the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
“We must recommit ourselves to the Two-State solution before it is too late.”
“Let’s be clear: Statehood for the Palestinians is a right, not a reward,” the UN chief said.
He added;
“And denying statehood would be a gift to extremists everywhere. Without two States, there will be no peace in the Middle East, and radicalism will spread around the world.”
General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock insisted that the two-state solution is the only way to ensure that future generations of both Palestinians and Israelis can live in peace, security, and dignity.
“We know that some think this is a naïve wish,” as the first resolution on the matter “is almost as old as this organisation”, she said.
To those who point to decades of failure, she emphasised that not aiming for what is right means that “evil would prevail” and be “the end of this institution”.
Baerbock said the international community is not only committed to the two-State solution but “identifying tangible, timebound and irreversible steps for its realisation”, and willing to take decisive measures and provide international guarantees.
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud thanked those countries that have recognised the State of Palestine or announced their intention to do so.
“We call on all other countries to take a similar historic step that will have a great impact on supporting the efforts towards the implementation of the two-State solution, achieve permanent and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, and find a new reality whereby the region can enjoy peace, stability and prosperity,” he said.
by GEOFFREY MOSOKU
