On 18 May 2021, Hon. Pedro Roque, Vice President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), moderated the annual United Nations Forum on the Question of Palestine, this year dedicated to “International Parliamentarian Support to the Question of Palestine”. The high-level event was convened virtually by the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP), and was live-streamed on UN Web TV.
The event was opened by Amb. Cheikh Niang (Chair of the CEIRPP), Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo (UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs), and Amb. Riyad Mansour (Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the UN). Panelists included Members of Parliament from the UK, Chile, France, South Africa, and Canada, and the discussion included interventions from UN Member States.
Participants of the meeting discussed the engagement of Parliamentarians in promoting a lasting political solution in the Middle East and full respect for international law, specifically the UN Security Council resolution 2334 (2016). The representatives of governments and parliamentarians engaged in an active debate, and there was consensus that there is a need for an immediate halt to the military confrontation and for the resumption of the negotiations to achieve a lasting and just peace.
In his opening remarks, Hon. Roque welcomed the initiative of the Committee to turn to parliamentarians to mobilize the political momentum to resume efforts to arrive at a Two State solution, emphasizing the value of parliamentary diplomacy as a flexible and powerful tool that allows for constructive dialogue and confidence building.
Hon. Roque recalled that both Israel and Palestine are founding and equal Members of PAM and both hold Vice Presidencies in the PAM Political Bureau. He further recalled that the Assembly has adopted a unanimous consensus that a Two-State solution is the only way for both peoples, Israelis and Palestinians, to achieve their legitimate aspirations to govern themselves, to live side by side within safe and recognized borders, in peace and security: the State of Israel and the independent State of Palestine, in accordance with the relevant international resolutions.
The event comes during a time of an ongoing surge in violence and military clashes in the Middle East. In recent weeks, PAM has issued several statements calling for an immediate halt to violence, joining the UN Secretary General and other key actors in the international community working to de-escalate the situation and return to constructive dialogue and respect of international law.