The Palestinians have formally become members of five global UN treaties banning torture, racial discrimination, and protecting the rights of women, children and the disabled.
According to UN spokesman Rupert Colville on behalf of the UN human rights office, Palestinian acceptance to these five treaties were based on the April 2 Palestinian declaration of adopting UN treaties on a path towards statehood.
In addition, the Palestinians will become members on May 7 of an accord protecting children in conflict zones. On July 2, they will also adopt two international agreements concerning governing civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.
“This accession to seven core human rights treaties and a key protocol is a significant step towards enhancing the promotion and protection of human rights in Palestine,” Colville stated.
“It is notable in a region with a high number of reservations to human rights treaties, that Palestine is acceding to eight human rights treaties without making a single reservation,” he added.
Since 2012, Palestine has been granted observer status at the United Nations despite fierce Israeli opposition. The Palestinians had previously pledged to suspend all moves seeking membership in the UN and moves towards statehood during peace talks with Israel in return for the release of Palestinian terrorists from prison.
Last week, the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) central council adopted measures to pursue membership to an additional 60 UN and international agreements. According to the PA’s UN envoy, the PA is eligible to join up to 550 treaties and conventions. In addition to the UN treaties, the Palestinians are now formal members of the Geneva Conventions.
The last round of US-brokered peace talks, which ended April 29, collapsed in early April when Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas launched new efforts seeking international recognition. The final blow came when the Palestinian Authority announced a national unity government with the Hamas terrorist organization.
