03 June 2024<\/p>\n
All States must follow the example of 146 United Nations Member States and recognise the State of Palestine and use all political and diplomatic resources at their disposal to bring about an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, UN experts* said today.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis recognition is an important acknowledgement of the rights of the Palestinian people and their struggles and suffering towards freedom and independence,\u201d the experts said.<\/p>\n
They insisted that Palestine must be able to enjoy full self-determination, including the ability to exist, determine their destiny and develop freely as a people with safety and security.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a pre-condition for lasting peace in Palestine and the entire Middle East \u2013 beginning with the immediate declaration of a ceasefire in Gaza and no further military incursions into Rafah,\u201d the experts said.<\/p>\n
The State of Palestine, formally declared by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on 15 November 1988, claims sovereignty over the remaining parts of historic Palestine that Israel occupied in 1967: the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n
As of 28 May 2024, the State of Palestine was recognised by the vast majority of Member States of the United Nations.<\/p>\n
The experts welcomed the latest recognitions of the occupied Palestinian territory as a State by Norway, Ireland and Spain, which comes after the General Assembly overwhelmingly voted – with 143 votes in favour to nine votes against – to\u00a0back<\/a>\u00a0Palestine\u2019s bid to become a full member of the United Nations on 10 May 2024.<\/p>\n \u201cEven though the prospect of lasting peace and an end to occupation has remained elusive since the Oslo Accords more than 30 years ago, a political solution should not be considered foregone,\u201d the experts said. \u201cA two-State solution remains the only internationally agreed path to peace and security for both Palestine and Israel and a way out of generational cycles of violence and resentment.\u201d<\/p>\n The UN experts said the move by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to seek arrest warrants against the Israeli Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and top Hamas leaders on suspicions of war crimes and crimes against humanity was a promise of accountability and an end to impunity in the occupied Palestinian territory.<\/p>\n \u201cThe International Court of Justice (ICJ) in its most recent\u00a0ruling on provisional measures<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, ordering Israel to stop its military operations in Rafah, immediately reopen the Rafah crossing to allow life-saving humanitarian aid into the Gaza strip and grant unimpeded access for UN human rights mechanisms, complements the work of the ICC in ensuring full justice in Palestine and preventing any further bloodshed in Gaza,\u201d the experts said.<\/p>\n \u201cStates must refrain from threats and attacks against the ICC and the ICJ,\u201d they said. \u201cThese courts must operate without foreign interference and threats, to uphold the promise of global justice and individual accountability for all victims of the conflict.\u201d<\/p>\n *<\/strong>The experts: George Katrougalos<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/em>Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order<\/em><\/a>;\u00a0Francesca Albanese<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/em>Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967<\/em><\/a>;<\/strong>\u00a0Tlaleng Mofokeng<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/em>Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health<\/em><\/a>;\u00a0Cecilia M Bailliet<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/em>Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity<\/em><\/a>;\u00a0Elisa Morgera<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/em>Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change<\/em><\/a>; Ashwini K.P.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance<\/em><\/a>;\u00a0Carlos Salazar Couto (Chair-Rapporteur), Michelle Small, Ravindran Daniel, Jovana Jezdimirovic Ranito, Sorcha MacLeod,<\/strong>\u00a0Working Group on the use of mercenaries; Farida Shaheed<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/em>Special Rapporteur on the right to education<\/em><\/a>;\u00a0Alexandra Xanthaki,<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights<\/em><\/a>;\u00a0Morris Tidball-Binz,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions;\u00a0Pedro Arrojo-Agudo<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/em>Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation<\/em><\/a>; Siobh\u00e1n Mullally,<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children<\/em><\/a>;\u00a0Paula Gaviria Betancur,<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons<\/em><\/a>\u00a0;\u00a0Olivier De Schutter<\/strong><\/em>, Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights<\/em><\/a>;\u00a0Genevi\u00e8ve Savigny (Chair-Rapporteur), Carlos Duarte, Uche Ewelukwa, Shalmali Guttal, Davit Hakobyan,<\/strong>\u00a0Working Group on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas; Jos\u00e9 Francisco Cal\u00ed Tzay,<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples<\/em><\/a>; Surya Deva,\u00a0<\/em>Special Rapporteur on the right to development<\/em><\/a>;\u00a0Tomoya Obokata,<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences.<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"