The Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), chaired by MP Mohamed Abou El-Enein, issued a statement welcoming the growing wave of recognitions of the State of Palestine by numerous countries during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly — notably by the United Kingdom, the country behind the Balfour Declaration, as well as Portugal, France, Canada, Australia, and others.
The statement affirmed that these recognitions represent a historic step reflecting the broad international support for the two-state solution and the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
It further stressed that these recognitions reaffirm that there is no alternative to resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict except through a political settlement based on the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, in accordance with international legitimacy and resolutions, as the foundation for achieving peace, stability, security, and coexistence for all peoples of the region.
The Assembly emphasized that, while these widespread international recognitions of the State of Palestine are of great significance, they must be followed by urgent steps and concrete measures from the international community — including reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, allowing the unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid, and facilitating the exchange of hostages and prisoners. It also underlined the necessity of taking tangible actions to make the State of Palestine a concrete reality on the ground.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean also reaffirmed its rejection of all Israeli measures aimed at undermining the two-state solution — including settlement expansion, land confiscation, and forced displacement — and condemned the obstruction of humanitarian aid access to Gaza, which has resulted in an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe and famine.
