UN General Assembly reviews draft resolution by Palestine calling for end to Israeli occupation
In a historic moment, Palestine, newly promoted to observer status at the UN General Assembly (UNGA), has submitted a draft resolution at the body demanding an end to Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.
Building on a recent International Court of Justice ruling, the resolution calls for Israel to withdraw its troops, halt settlement expansion, and return land taken since 1967 within 12 months.
While the US opposes the resolution, it has no veto power in the UNGA, and the body has previously supported Palestinian recognition. The resolution, which will be voted on by UNGA members today, is not legally binding, but reflects global opinion as leaders gather for high-level UN meetings next week.
Egypt rejects attempts at escalation in the region: El-Sisi to Blinken
Cairo rejects any attempts at escalation in the region, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the wake of the pager explosions in Lebanon and Syria.
In a meeting with Blinken in Cairo, el-Sisi said his country supported Lebanon after the pager blasts incident, according to a statement from the president’s office.
The US top diplomat is in Cairo on his 10th trip to the Middle East since the start of the war in Gaza last October. He is in the region to push for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Egypt won’t accept changes at Philadelphi Corridor: Foreign Minister
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said in a news conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Cairo will not accept any changes to pre-October 7 rules for security on its border with Gaza, including at the Philadelphi Corridor, and the operation of the Rafah crossing from the Palestinian side.
Abdelatty also stated that Egypt is in full solidarity with Lebanon following yesterday’s pager explosions attack, considering the incident an affront to Lebanese sovereignty.
Ending Israel’s aggression on Gaza through a ceasefire is paramount to de-escalating tensions in the region, the minister also said.
Finland defends decisions to buy Israeli arms, not recognise Palestinian state
President Alexander Stubb has defended Finland’s decision to buy arms from Israel despite the war on Gaza, saying it had no link to his country’s unwillingness to recognise an independent Palestinian state at the present time.
In an interview with Reuters, Stubb said the time was not right to recognise a Palestinian state, even though its Nordic neighbours have done so, and said the decision had “nothing to do with” the arms deal with Israel.
Last month, Stubb told Finnish diplomats that recognition of a Palestinian state was “a matter of time”.
Finland is acquiring a ground-based, high-altitude, missile defence system called David’s Sling from Israel.
