Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Diaspora, Seán Crowe TD, has welcomed yesterdays vote in the UN General Assembly which voted in favour of granting the Palestinian State non-member observer status of the UN.

The vote which took place yesterday coincided with the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

Deputy Crowe said:

“I want to congratulate the Palestinian Authority in securing an upgrade in Palestine’s status in the UN. The vote on upgrading Palestine’s status was taken in the UN General Assembly and it was supported by a resounding majority. This vote shows the real support and good will that exists for the Palestinian people, and their legitimate right to self-determination and freedom from oppression.

“While this development doesn’t give the Palestinian State full membership status of the UN, it gives weight to Palestine’s right to exist along the pre-1967 borders, which includes Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem; territory which Israel captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.

“While the successful vote will not immediately change the situation on the ground in Palestine, it is highly significant. As Palestine now has non-member status of the UN it can join a variety of international and UN agencies.

“The Palestinian Authority brought this bid for UN recognition of their State as a last-ditch attempt to rescue the troubled efforts to secure peace through a two-state solution. Peace talks in the region have stalled because of Israel’s continued construction of illegal settlement colonies in the West Bank and its blockade and bombing of Gaza. The lack of any pressure on Israel to stop these illegal acts, from the international community, prolonged this historic impasse.

“I commend the Irish Government for backing Palestine’s bid, and all the other Governments which chose to support this reasonable proposal.

“This vote also shows the strong international consensus that a two-state solution to the conflict, which would see a sovereign and independent Palestine and Israel living side-by-side, is the most viable route to peace.

“On this historic day, I call on the Israeli Government to acknowledge the right of the Palestinian people to national self-determination, immediately lift the illegal blockade of Gaza, stop the construction of illegal settlement colonies in the West Bank, and began inclusive and productive peace talks with the elected representatives of the Palestinian people”