Iran: Palestine statehood rejection leaves no option but resistance

The Islamic Republic of Iran says the UN Security Council’s rejection of Palestine statehood proposal leaves no “legitimate” option for the Palestinians but “resistance”.

“Minimum demands by the Palestinians were not accepted in the UN and international circles,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham on Wednesday, adding, “This shows that the only way available to the Palestinian nation to reclaim their rights is to continue their resistance.”

On Tuesday, the Security Council did not adopt the draft resolution, which called for the recognition of an independent Palestinian state and the termination of the Israeli occupation.

“It is resistance which can secure their full rights,” Afkham said, stressing that it is the only way that could “bear results.”

The United States led the opposition against the bid, which brought about Israel’s gratitude, calling the move a blow to the Palestinians.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said earlier on Wednesday that the proposal rejection should “teach” Palestinians that “attempts to impose unilateral measures on Israel will not achieve anything.”

Liberman also slammed the “for” votes cast by France and Luxembourg, which has made Tel Aviv plan to summon the French ambassador.

A senior Israeli official said a meeting would be held on Friday with Ambassador Patrick Maisonnave for clarifications over Paris’ move.

The resolution needed to secure at least nine votes to be adopted by the 15-member Security Council. However, it managed to garner only eight positive votes, as the US and Australia voted against the resolution and the UK, Rwanda, Nigeria, South Korea and Lithuania abstained.

The draft resolution designated occupied East al-Quds (Jerusalem) as the capital of a future Palestinian state, addressed the issue of Palestinians in Israeli prisons and demanded the end of Israeli occupation by 2017.

In November 2012, the United Nations General Assembly voted to upgrade Palestine’s status at the UN from “non-member observer entity” to “non-member observer state” despite strong opposition from Israel and the US.