Kenya was among a total number of 143 countries that voted in support of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution for the admission of the State of Palestine to the United Nations (UN).
In a statement, Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York Martin Kimani while welcoming the resolution on March 11, 2024, explained why the country chose to grant Palestine a new status.
“Kenya was proud to vote for today’s historic resolution, enabling additional rights and privileges to the state of Palestine, and to urge the Security Council to reconsider this application as soon as possible. The Palestinian people honor us with their application to become full members of the United Nations,” said Kimani in a statement.
Kimani explained that the Palestinian people aspire to be independent and peace-loving, and to be reflected in a state that embraces the obligations of full membership, as demanded by Article 4 of the UN Charter.
According to him, Kenya was obliged to help Palestine in its self-determination journey having had to go through a similar process in its way to acquiring independence from the colonial rulers.
“When the United Nations was created in 1945, we were a colonial territory in which formerly free nations were under the brutal yoke of an imperial power,” explained the Kenyan Ambassador.
“It was our struggle for independence as African nationalists, joined with other worldwide struggles that won us independent Kenya. We cannot deny others who legitimately seek self-determination any more than we can deny our very being as a nation.”
Kenya on the Israel-Hamas War
He however affirmed the country’s stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict noting that the elusive grace of peace in the embattled Gaza and the increasingly troubled West Bank region remains a distant dream.
“The brutalities of the October 7th Hamas assault on Israel, which claimed over 1,200 lives and led to the abduction of 240 civilians and soldiers, stands as a grievous chapter in the annals of conflict. This act of terror, which Kenya sternly and unequivocally condemns, is a stark violation of the sanctity of life and peace,” said Kimani.
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In the statement, Kimani highlighted that the scale and intensity of the military operations in Gaza have led to severe humanitarian harms.
The situation has worsened as multiple reports indicate that many of the casualties are non-combatants, with a distressing number being children.
“The logistical restrictions imposed on Gaza by Israel have severely limited access to essential services and goods for the non-combatant population.
The impact on non-combatants, on critical civilian objects, and on humanitarian workers, including those working for the United Nations, have frequently deviated from international law and international humanitarian law,” he said.
Support for independence of Palestine
Based on the developments in Gaza, the Ambassador announced that the country was in full support of the decision to urge a Security Council to play its role in supporting the conditions for the secure and peaceful existence of Palestine.
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These efforts, according to Kimani, must begin with an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, the unconditional release of all hostages, followed by a resumption of dialogue without preconditions aimed at realistically achieving the two-state solution.
Kimani further stated that the country is urging all states, leaders, and organizations with influence on Israeli and Palestinian leadership to make every effort to encourage and facilitate a ceasefire and the resumption of dialogue.
At the same time, the Ambassador said that the country condemns all military actions by Israel that are at odds with international law and international humanitarian law that have been undertaken in the past and all that will follow.
“We therefore, in this vein, strongly urge Israel to refrain from an assault on Rafah, where a large number of displaced, non-combatant civilians have sought refuge, as such an action could risk atrocities and crimes against humanity due to the inevitable significant civilian casualties and immense humanitarian repercussions,” said Kimani.
He also pointed out that Hamas’s continued holding of hostages is not only a violation of international law, but also a gross act of cruelty that demonstrates their disregard for human life.
Kenya was among the countries that voted in support of the move that now grants Palestine a new status and privileges in the world.
Palestine has had non-member observer state status since 2012, which allows some rights short of a full member.
The US recently vetoed a bid for full membership, but Friday’s vote can be seen as a gesture of support for the Palestinians.
Both Israel and the United States were among the standout countries in the list of countries which voted ‘No’ while the United Kingdom abstained.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the resolution, saying it supported Palestinian efforts for another vote on the issue by the UN Security Council which decides upon the membership.
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