Palestinian Flag Raised At UN For First Time In Vienna

الوزير المالكي يرفع علم فلسطين على مقر الأمم المتحدة في العاصمة النمساوية فيينا

DSC_5023Secretary-General Says Now Is Time for the Realization of Two States for Two Peoples

The flag of the State of Palestine has been raised for the first time at the United Nations Office at Vienna, following the adoption of a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly.

The flag was raised at 15:00pm local time on Monday 12 October 2015 as a large crowd of Ambassadors, diplomats, NGOs, Palestinians, Western supporters and reporters watched on.

Speaking to the crowd, Palestinian foreign minister Dr. Riad al-Malki dedicated the ceremony to the Palestinian martyrs, prisoners, wounded and to those who gave their lives while trying to raise this flag under the Israeli occupation.

He said: “The Palestinian flag symbolizes the struggle and sacrifices of our people. We remember our brave martyrs, prisoners, the wounded and their families that have made sacrifices for Palestine to live.”

On 10 September 2015, the General Assembly decided that the flags of non-member observer States maintaining permanent observer missions at Headquarters shall be raised at Headquarters and United Nations offices following the flags of the Members States of the Organization. The motion passed with 119 votes in favour, while 45 countries abstained and eight voted against, among them Israel, the US and Australia.

Minister al-Malki thanked countries who voted in favour of raising the Palestinian flag, saying they have sent a message of hope to Palestinians.

Al-Malki said: “I come today from Palestine carrying the hopes of a whole nation in a better future for their children, free from occupation and its daily destructive policies and humiliations. Today is another occasion that embodies our people’s resilience to continue their just struggle for freedom and to live like that the rest of the peoples of the world: in peace in their independent sovereign state, their legitimate aspirations and hopes echoed in the colors of this flag that will be raised today.”

He added: “Today, we take one more step towards materializing sovereignty and statehood. Raising the flag is a reflection of our determination to become a full-fledged member of the United Nations. It also reaffirms a fact that our occupiers refuse to see – that we are here to stay and one day soon, we will break off the chains of this occupation and celebrate our long overdue independence.”

In 2012, the UN General Assembly voted to upgrade the status of the Palestinians to that of a “non-member observer state” – the same position that the Vatican holds.

It followed a failed bid by the Palestinians to join the international body as a full member state in 2011 because of a lack of support in the UN Security Council.

Executive Director Yury Fedotov of UNODC read the remarks of Ban ki-moon at the Palestinian Flag-Raising Ceremony at the Vienna International Centre Plaza.

This is a day of pride for Palestinians around the world. It is a day of hope. It is reminder that symbols are important — and that a symbol can lead to action in the right direction.

The symbolism of raising your flag at the United Nations reflects the commitment of the Palestinian Authority to pursue the long-held dream of the Palestinian people for their own State. It also symbolizes the long-standing commitment of the United Nations to support Palestinian aspirations.

We can be under no illusion that this ceremony represents the end goal. Achieving Palestinian Statehood requires decisive action to advance national unity. The first step is ensuring that the West Bank and Gaza are integrated under a single authority.

Now is the time to support initiatives which will preserve the two-State solution and create the conditions for a return to meaningful negotiations on the basis of an agreed framework.

Now is the time to restore confidence by both Israelis and Palestinians for a peaceful settlement, and at last, the realization of two States for two peoples.

I sincerely hope that a successful peace process will soon yield a day when we unfurl the Palestinian flag in its proper place – among the family of nations as a sovereign Member State of the United Nations.

May the raising of this flag give rise to the hope among the Palestinian people and the international community that Palestinian statehood is achievable. Let us continue to work together to realize the aspirations that this flag carries; Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.

The full speech of Minister Al-Malki is below:

“I come today from Palestine carrying the hopes of a whole nation in a better future for their children, free from occupation and its daily destructive policies and humiliations. Today is another occasion that embodies our people’s resilience to continue their just struggle for freedom and to live like that the rest of the peoples of the world: in peace in their independent sovereign state, their legitimate aspirations and hopes echoed in the colors of this flag that will be raised today.

Today, we take one more step towards materializing sovereignty and statehood. Raising the flag is a reflection of our determination to become a full-fledged member of the United Nations. It also reaffirms a fact that our occupiers refuse to see – that we are here to stay and one day soon, we will break off the chains of this occupation and celebrate our long overdue independence.

Flags are symbols of a nation’s history and dignity. For my people, the flag is a summary of my people’s plight for freedom and justice. It is also the banner under which our people have sacrificed and persevered for decade, against all odds, including attempts to deny our identity as a people with legitimate national rights who have suffered and continue to endure injustice. In Palestine, our flag flies in defiance of the occupier, who tears it down and bans it. But still, we rise and we preserve.

Raising the Palestinian flag today should remind the world of the occupation and its injustice. It should also serve as a reminder that the international system has, thus far, failed to fully discharge its obligation in providing peace and security to the Palestinian people. It is also a reminder that every day that passes by takes us further away from the two-State solution and the threat that represents – not only to the Palestinian people, but for the world as a whole.
Symbols also essential in politics, particularly for the Palestinian people, who were given all reasons to despair of the future. But my people are aware that this step, which is based on strong legal and political ground, also took Palestinian statehood a significant step closer to reality. This step also sends a loud message to Israel, the occupying power, that the Palestinian people will not surrender to the logic of brute force inflicted on them and that its attempts to erase the Palestinian identity will not succeed.

The overwhelming support the vote on the resolution to raise the flag received, underscores one more time the support of the international community to the cause of peace and with it, human rights for all. This historic vote, confirmed the long-standing principled position of the international community in support of a just and peaceful solution to the plight of the people of Palestine through the exercise of their inalienable right to self-determination. It also reemphasized the established position that they do not recognize the illegal actions of the occupation, including illegal settlements, which aim at denying my people their basic and fundamental rights to freedom by destroying the practicability of the two state solution, and with it, the prospects of peace.

We are grateful for all those states that have stood by this initiative and supported it by voting in favor of raising the flag. These nations have sent forth a tiny ripple of hope to the people of Palestine, at this critical juncture; that an increasing majority of the international public supports their noble plight for justice and freedom is supported by. This support and increased awareness of the situation as well as commitment to the universal values of human rights must translate into actions of practical solidarity and principled support. This moral majority has given our people hope and continues to inspire acts of innovation and creativity that confront the occupation and injustice with hope, positive action, and fraternity. We are grateful and will always remember these positions with gratitude.

Preserving the two-state solution based on 1967 borders, including Jerusalem, requires the effective and urgent confrontation of the occupation’s illegal and provocative actions, including settlement activities and terrorist attacks by settlers’ groups. This is a conviction that Palestine shares with the international community. Preserving the two-state solution also requires the recognition of Palestinian rights to self-determination and independence without conditions. A practical step in this regard is the recognition of the State of Palestine, without delay.

For our part, the Palestinian people and their leadership will persevere in pursuing our legitimate national aspirations and will not cease our dignified efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution to this conflict. We will continue to push ahead and use all available political and legal means available to advance our rights and realize our national aspirations. We will combat the hopelessness and despair that the persistent acts of brutality and injustice create with hope and determination. The occupation will not succeed in pushing us out of hope and out of our homeland. We will continue to persevere – deeply rooted in our homeland – determined to plant where the occupation uproots and build where it demolishes. We will hold on to our faith – that the future is for justice and freedom and that the evils of oppression cannot outlast a free people’s will to overcome injustice. We truly believe – like our declaration of independence states that (and I quote) “fear of tomorrow can be abolished, for tomorrow brings nothing but security for the just and those who regain their sense of justice”.

Thank you all for participating in this important occasion for our people. We are confident, that one day – soon – we shall celebrate with all peace-loving nations and peoples from around the world raising the Palestinian flag over our capital Jerusalem.
Thank you.”

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