Topic:
Country: Nigeria
Delegate Name: Sara Plante
In 1947, UN resolution 181 split Palestine and Israel into two separate states based on the premise of creating an independent Jewish state and releasing both from British rule. Despite the resolution dividing the land between the two newly independent states, lasting conflict was sparked over territory and led to the eventual military encroachment of Israeli forces into Palestinian land in 1967. The West Bank and Gaza Strip, while originally delegated to Arab control, currently reside partially under Israeli government and military rule. Currently, tensions run high and violence persists in the form of guerrilla warfare and political protests. After the bombings in early 2021, the UN has been tasked with writing new resolutions with the purpose of reinforcing peace between Israel and Palestine in order to decrease political unrest and humanitarian struggles.
Nigeria has remained neutral on the Israel-Palestine conflict to avoid negatively impacting relations, especially in the economic sector. Nigeria would like to uphold established trade with Israel and has never previously supplied weapons or military aid to either Israel or Palestine. Despite neutrality, Nigeria supports the human rights of the Arabs in Palestine and has, during the UN sessions, voted in support of Palestine. For example, Nigeria has voted in support of the Palestinian right to self-determination, the cease of Jewish settlement construction in Arab land, and the condemnation of Israeli atrocities in occupied territories and involvement in South Africa’s apartheid. One decision of special note was voting in favor of the complete withdrawal of Israel from Arab territory that was occupied since 1967. Nigeria’s neutral stance stems from the population consisting of about 53.5% Muslim and 45.9% Christain. In order to support the citizens of both religious groups, Nigeria remains neutral but simultaneously upholds the values decreed by the UN that protect universal human rights and political rights. These political rights include the peaceful settlement of disputes, sovereign equality of nations, and respect for territorial integrity of nations.
Nigeria supports the establishment of another cease-fire between Israel and Palestine. Furthermore, Nigeria urges the committee to reinstate the border outlined in UN resolution 181, before the 6-Day War in 1967, and re-create two defined states. Alongside these previously outlined borders, Nigeria supports the delegation of Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. Nigeria would also support the recognition of Palestine as an independent, voting state.
