Topic: Question of Palestinian Statehood
Country: Switzerland
Delegate Name: Giancarlo Fiorenzo
School: Forest Hills Central High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Switzerland position papers GLIMUN 2012 committees
The question of Palestinian statehood is a hotly debated topic throughout the world, most specifically in the Middle East. It has been proposed that the Palestinian people have their own independent state. 131 countries formally recognize this state. However, this proposed state includes land currently owned by Israel. Israel and its supporters, namely the United States, oppose an official Palestine state.
Switzerland does not recognize Palestine as a state. However, we do offer humanitarian support and financial aid to this troubled region. We abstained from the UNESCO vote on the subject of Palestinian statehood. We hold a stance of ‘active neutrality,’ which means that we will be willing to negotiate, offer guidance, and help in any ways possible.
Switzerland would like to see the United Nations offer continued support to the troubled Palestinian people, namely on the West Bank and on the Gaza strip. However, we remain neutral on the subject of Palestinian statehood, as we are close economic partners with Israel and do not believe we have the authority to remove land from their possession.
Over 50 countries similarly supported our abstinence from the UNESCO vote, including the majority of the European Union. Many countries around the world also offer support to these troubled regions of the Middle East.
Israel, the United States, Canada, and Germany were the major powers that voted against Palestinian statehood at UNESCO. France voted in favor. The United States and Israel are the two countries most fervently opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state.
