Nigeria, others adopt UN resolution backing Palestinians’ right to self-determination

Nigeria on Monday joined most countries worldwide in voting in favour of a resolution that reaffirms the right of Palestinians to self-determination.

The UN General Assembly voted in favour of the resolution affirming the right to an independent State of Palestine.

A total of 164 member states, including all 54 African countries that are members of the UN, voted in favour of the resolution.

In total, only eight countries voted against the resolution. These are: Israel, the United States, Micronesia, Argentina, Paraguay, Papua New Guinea, Palau, and Nauru.

The resolution reiterated long-established United Nations positions affirming the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and to pursue their economic, social, and cultural development.

It also called on all states, UN specialised agencies and bodies across the UN system to continue providing support and assistance to the Palestinian people in the early realisation of this right.

It stressed the need to respect the territorial unity, contiguity, and integrity of the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.

This resolution comes a few days after the UN backed the resolution demanding that Israel lift restrictions on humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip.

The assembly had also asked Israel to cease attacks on UN facilities, and to comply with international law, in line with its obligations as an occupying power.

But Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, accused the assembly of passing a resolution that compels Israel to cooperate with terrorism.

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has long rejected the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Previous call for a Palestinian state

Nigeria is among the countries that have repeatedly called for a two-state solution to end the Israel-Hamas war, which has led to the death of thousands of Palestinians.

At the UN General Assembly held in September, Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, said Palestinians must be granted equal freedom and dignity as granted to citizens of every other state.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that, while addressing the assembly, Mr Shettima said the Palestinian community does not deserve to be subjected to prolonged conflicts and the devastating humanitarian crisis it has endured.

“They are human beings, equal in worth, entitled to the same freedoms and dignities that the rest of us take for granted,” he said.

During the event, several European countries, including the UK, Canada, and Australia, officially recognised Palestine as an independent state.

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Infuriated, Mr Netanyahu described their actions as “an absurd prize for terrorism.”

He vowed that “a Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River.”

He said Israel would have to fight at the United Nations and other international forums against “slanderous propaganda.”